My New Family 2: Controversial Scare
by GalacticDragonfly
Summary: The Sequel to My New Family. The Wattersons soon must question their loyalty when their friends suddenly become a threat. Unfortunately, the Wattersons find themselves in trouble, when they all start to take sides and question each other.
1. Scare

My New Family 2: Controversial Scare

Disclaimer: I own nothing, TAWOG belongs to whomever.

* * *

The _Sequel_, but first, let's start off from where we left off…..

***BOOM***

"Holy Crap, RUN!" Tobias screamed, running from Principal Brown's office door with the Raid club. Smoke slowly puffed out from the bottom of the door as an orange tint shinned on the blurry glass.

"JAMIE! GUMBALL!"

The two kids immediately busted out the door, laughing as they ran down the crowded hallways. All the kids watched them run towards the stairway before Principal Brown popped his head out and glared at the students.

"Where'd they go!" Principal Brown screamed.

The kids stared for a second before everyone screamed, running for any type of exit. Principal Brown sighed anger as he grabbed the fire extinguisher and walked back into his office. He glared at the busted out, blackened cabinet, ablaze no less before he aimed the hose.

'_This is idiotic….all I did was suggest a different school!'_ He thought, cringing as he let loose the white CO2 from the red canister. The fire was minor, so it quickly extinguished. Principal Brown threw the fire extinguisher down before wiping his forehead.

"Man, I gotta love both my Old and New Family!" Gumball laughed, finally reaching the first floor and making a run for the schoolyard. Jamie was right behind him, hearing his comment and blushing before cracking up.

"We love you too Gumball!" Jamie screamed, making Gumball look back at her.

Principal Brown picked up the torched folder which held the records for the _'criminal clubs'_, or did hold them before they fell out and scattered all over the floor. Principal Brown looked at some before nodding and rubbing his glasses, they had become suddenly blurry. While rubbing them something caught his eye, he quickly looked over at the paper next to his furry feet. It said_ 'Raid Members & Info.' _It was being covered by another burnt piece of paper. His mustache wiggled before he bent down and grabbed the paper, but as the one covering it slid off he realized the other half was scorched.

***Knock Knock***

"What?" He groaned.

Mr. Small popped his head in the doorway. "Problem?" Principal Brown growled at him before walking over with his head hung low and pushed the door. Mr. Small didn't let it close however as he walked in and made a frown, waving his hand around to fan the smell of smoke away.

"I heard a noise, kids were running, I wanted to see if you knew what happened…" Mr. Small stated, staring at the smoking bookshelf and the tired slug. "…..But forgive me, you were the center of attention, huh?" Mr. Small said as Principal Brown grumbled something before picking up his coffee cup.

"Something caught fire?" He asked, looking down.

"The hell do you want!" Principal Brown said, rather loudly. Mr. Small blinked before sighing. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened last night." Principal Brown eyed him as he sipped on some of his coffee.

"I was curious if you were willing to turn over a new lea-"

Principal Brown spat out his coffee; "YUCK!"

"Well I knew you wouldn't be all for it, but you could at least listen to me first." Mr. Small said.

"What are you doing here! Spying for the fucking brats now or what!" He shouted, throwing the coffee to the side. Mr. Small looked in shock at the mess he made on his carpet, and back up at the now furious Principal.

"Mr. Brown, I will not tolerate vulgar languag-"

"You humiliated me in front of the kids!" Principal Brown accused, walking towards his seat.

"….vulgar language on school premises during sessional hours!" Mr. Small shot, staring the furry slug down. Principal Brown didn't bother to stare back however, as he examined the mess.

"I don't want anything to do with anymore clubs, especially Jamie and Gumball." Principal Brown. Mr. Small stood there, analyzing the scene. The smoking blown out cabinet, the burnt papers, the depressed Principal, and…

"Whats this?"

Mr. Small picked up the charred stick of dynamite, or realistically a really powerful firecracker. It was still hot and it was smoking a bit. The cloud man looked at the slug, who had been looking at him. The Principal smirked, "This was the plan, eh?"

"What plan?" Mr. Small asked.

"Gumball, Jamie, the dynamite, that was the plan? It's hilarious I'm glad you did it you bastard!" Principal Brown roared.

"…..No."

Gumball grabbed Jamie's hand and pulled her towards an empty bench in the hallway, even better was that the entire hallway was empty. Gumball looked around for a second before popping his eyebrows at Jamie. The grey girl stared at him for a second before cocking a brow.

"Shouldn't we be running, he may be following." Jamie said.

"Pssh, yeah right!" Gumball said as an idea popped in his head. "You wanna have a victory party?" Jamie giggled as she patted Gumball on the head. "Funny Gumball, but we just blew up his shit, maybe we should get to class."

"Lunch time, remember?" Gumball asked.

"Sorry, you're right boy." Jamie laughed, but then she realized something. Gumball was right in her face, and he didn't blink. The boy realized his fault and blinked, before taking another step backwards. Jamie blushed before laughing and taking a step forwards, getting in Gumball's face.

"You got in my face, something was on your mind." Jamie whispered.

"Really, you wanna know what that is?" Gumball asked, grabbing her hand.

"Mmmm, do tell!" Jamie said, leaning into him.

"Fine, I'll tell you…..if you sit on my lap."

"I cant believe this!" Mr. Small said. "There's no way they did this, right after we had our conversation!" The cloud man then turned to the furry slug, Principal Brown couldn't help but giggle through his attitude.

"You're pathetic, you own your kids for a second before they rebel!" Principal Brown shouted.

"Keep your flippin' voice down!" Mr. Small shot back. "You have no evidence that they did this!"

"Oh my God, you're talking about a lack of '_evidence_', im having _Deja-Vu_!" Principal Brown said referencing the lack of evidence he had the night before when arguing with the families and Mr. Small. "Nobody else entered my office, captain obvious! Nobody else said they came directly from your office! And nobody else was snickering the entire time, other than Jamie and Gumball, with your permission!"

"….I can't believe this….that sounds like Jamie." Mr. Small said, examining the firecracker

"And Gumball, Steve. He's the new recruit!" Principal Brown added, bonking his head on the desk.

"Why…..this is an act of terrorism!" Steve said, astonished Gumball and Jamie were so deluded that they would do such a thing. "They can't honestly believe they'll get away with it!"

"They can!" Principal Brown said, slightly energetic.

"Why? How?" Small asked, a little angrier.

"There was this idiot who backed them, away from my office!" Principal Brown explained, getting up from the desk. "Backed them? Tell me who, when, and where!" Mr. Small asked.

"Oh yeah, his name is Steve **SMALL**!" Principal Brown screamed, then he pointed at the door. "Get out, I've had enough of you and those blasted kids!" Steve shook his head and walked towards the door. "Don't worry boss, I'll get Rocky down here."

"Fire Rocky while you're at it!" Brown ordered.

"What the heck! You can fire him, he's a flippin' Freelancer!" Steve shouted.

"Then put the fool on the p-"

"We'll talk about this later, I got to find those pesky kids!" Steve Small shouted, slamming the door.

"….Crap….i actually enjoyed his company….i need a new job." Principal Brown groaned before sinking into his chair.

-Downstairs—

"You like it when I do that huh?" Gumball asked before sucking on Jamie's neck. The girl giggled, as she was currently sitting on Gumball's lap. Gumball's arms were wrapped around her stomach, but Jamie kept her hands clasped together while leaning back into Gumball. She didn't know how to react to this, other than to moan and laugh when Gumball kissed her cheek and licked her shoulders.

"You make me feel so flippin' special, man!" Jamie laughed.

Mr. Small marched down the stairs, his once joyful attitude had turned sour. He felt a sense of responsibility for what happened. Now the kids are under the delusion that they're above the rules merely because they befriended them, and blowing something up in school is worth suspension.

Jamie got up from Gumball's lap and straddled him, placing her legs and thighs around him and squishing their crotches together. Gumball personally loved this position for making out, but often he got a little _'aroused' _so it was embarrassing.

"Kiss me, you little pussycat!" Jamie laughed as she kissed Gumball passionately. The boy lit up as he grabbed her head and pushed her tongue in even more. The girl breathed in his mouth as their tongues wrestled, their hand rubbed each other's sides.

"Nothing could ruin this moment, Jamie." Gumball sighed, rubbing her head. Jamie leaned in before smirking.

"Don't say that, every time I've heard that something bad fucking happens." Jamie said, using her fingerless hands (kind of like Darwin, hand concept) to stroke his ears.

"There you are!" Mr. Small screamed, causing Gumball to jump and Jamie to ball her hands into a fists and turn around. She then unballed her fists on realization of the accuser. She looked at Gumball for a second before they both shrugged their shoulders and looked up at Mr. Small.

"Yes, you found us…..I didn't know we were lost." Jamie said, rather casually.

"You know what you did!" Mr. Small screamed, walking up to the bench. Jamie and Gumball were still locked together, looking at Mr. Small like he was crazy. "Sexual behavior is NOT TOLERATED!" Jamie and Gumball again looked at each other like they had no idea what he was talking about.

"…..You're dry humping each other, that's essentially sexually suggestive!" Mr. Small cried, pointing at Jamie mounted on Gumball. The horned girl gave a nasty glare at Steve before getting off and sitting on the bench. They both looked at Steve curiously, unsure as to what he was originally talking about.

"Mr. Small, you interrupted us." Jamie explained.

"Good, we have more important matters." Mr. Small said, pulling out a Detention/Suspension slip from his pocket. Gumball and Jamie's eyes went wide at the sight, especially since they just had a conversation with him earlier today.

"Dude, what are you doing!" Gumball asked, flipping out.

"Did you blow up the Principal's Cabinet?" Mr. Small asked, pulling out a pen.

Gumball and Jamie exchanged glances, both gulping. Then Jamie realized something, "Wait, I thought you were on our side, '_Daddy_!'" Mr. Small glared at her, before threateningly pointing her finger. "Im not your _father_, just because I'm having a date with your mother!"

"Whatever, '_Daddy_'!" Jamie shouted.

"Don't dodge the question, did you or did you not blow up the firecracker in his office!" Mr. Small shouted, at the end of his fuse. "I don't have time for this crap, I got that big baby upstairs to deal with and HIS OFFICE WAS BURNT UP!"

"The heck! Did you not forget what happened last night?" Gumball asked, a little agitated himself.

"GET OVER IT!" Mr. Small said, "You don't rub it in, and you don't commit an act of VIOLENCE!" Gumball didn't reply but he wasn't any less angry. "You take everything so seriously sometimes, Watterson."

"Mr. Small, c'mon on!" Jamie said, as the realization sunk in that they would be punished.

Mr. Small took out his pen and wrote 'Jamie & Gumball' down on the detention slip. He then looked back at the scared and angry kids. He then glared harshly at Jamie, as she was obviously the instigator for this nonsense.

"Jamie, you've done it this time!" Mr. Small said, ripping off the detention slip.

"Cut me a break, will ya!" Jamie shouted, not willing to grab the slip.

"No! You've REALLY Screwed up! This is dangerous, you've could've gotten someone harmed, or KILLED!" Mr. Small screamed, his cloud figure had turned a noticeable shade of red. "Sorry…." She muttered.

"I'm calling your mother immediately!" Mr. Small said, pulling out his cell phone.

"Oh come on, you're just trying to hook up!" Jamie said, trying to make the situation lighthearted. Mr. Small didn't show a sign of humor, and Gumball knew he was next.

"Whats her phone number!" He said.

"…."

"I SAID WHAT'S HER PHONE NUMBER!"

**-Three Months Later—**

"I SAID WHAT'S HER PHONE NUMBER!"

"Oh c'mon, you're just trying to hook up with her!"

"Jamie, you're not doing this to me!"

"Sorry, I don't talk to people like you."

"FINE, I'll drive to your house and pick her up, with a large fine, AND YOU GET TO STAY IN CITY JAIL UNTIL I RETURN!" The Doughnut officer said as he took her handcuffed self and pushed her inside the cell! The cop grabbed the metal bars and closed them, making a large clang sound. He put the key inside and locked the cell. Jamie tried to punch the cop through the metal bars but he jumped back and detached his baton. Jamie immediately backed away from the bars and pointed at him.

"FINE! GO!" Jamie shouted, sitting on the Jail bench.

"You're going to pay for this Jamie, I've had it this time!" The Doughnut cop screamed, grabbing the car keys and shutting off the Jail lights. She was the only prisoner, and it was pitch dark. A slither of light shinned when he opened the doors to leave.

"What the hell is this, turn the damn lights on!" Jamie screamed.

"Forget that! I'm not wasting a higher electric bill on YOU, Jamie!" The officer screamed before slamming the door. Jamie sat down in the darkness, steaming mad as the cold silence of the cell was rather futile to change her mood.

'_Dammit, my fucking Mom is going to kick my ass down every fucking street!'_ Jamie thought, holding her head in her hands. _'And she'll never buy my excuse!'_ The girl then giggled as she rubbed her head, _'This interrogation was kinda like that time Gumball and I blew that firecracker in Brown's office some months back….good times.'_

"I knew this would come in handy." Jamie said, putting her hand in her hair.

**-5:15, Jamie's Street, Sun is setting—**

Kieara and Princess were sitting on the sidewalk, the oldest was holding a magnifying glass over a leaf. The sun was setting so the neighborhood looked like it was tinted in orange, Princess believed it was the perfect time to try out the experiment.

"Why isnt it working?" Princess asked, kneeling next to Kieara who held the magnifying glass. Kieara blinked wildly for a second before pulling her eyes away from the magnifying glass. Princess briefly looked at the sun before back down at the elegant and unharmed green leaf.

"You did something wrong!" Princess exclaimed. She immediately received a soft punch on the shoulder. The girl clinched her shoulder before checking her silk dress. "Why'd you hit me!"

"It was you who fucked up, you don't try this during sunset." Kieara explained, getting up and fixing her basketball shorts. "Next time, we'll do it during the late day!" She walked off, rubbing her hand in her short cut hair. As she walked down the pathway to the house, Princess jumped her but she didn't fall.

"Get off me." She said, rather calmly.

"How is this a bad time? The sun is closest to the Earth now!" She whined.

"Not really, it works when its directly above us and…." Kieara grabbed her off her back and tossed her on the grass of their oddly cut small lawn. "….You need to find a sister who gives a shit. Now, thanks to you, my eyes hurt!" Kieara said, blinking before walking towards the door.

"From what?" Princess asked, observing the grass stain on her white dress.

"From the reflection of the sun, that's what!" Kieara said, before walking towards the door again. As she placed her hand on the doorknob, she heard a car pull up to the curb where they were once at. She casually turned around before realizing who it was.

"Crap!" She said, under her breath.

Princess hadn't noticed the cop car as she stared at the astonished Kieara. She made a confused grin before hearing the door to the car open. The doughtnut cop hadn't walked out yet, as he opened it for some air.

"Princess!" Kieara whispered loudly. The youngest sister then noticed the car, forcing a worried glare on her face. "PRINCESS!" Kieara whispered loudly again. The blonde sister carefully looked over at her older sister. Kieara motioned for her to come over as quickly as possible, but then placed a finger to her lips. The sister understood, move quietly, move quickly. The little girl staggered up on her feet and paused, looking back at the car to see if the doughnut officer had noticed. The pink doughtnut was busy checking out his clipboard.

The girl slowly tip toed over to Kieara as the pre-teen placed her hand on the handle and pressed down on the door's lever. Immediately the door popped open, which caused both of them to flinch. They turned their heads slowly to the cop who apparently hadn't noticed them. They looked at each other before nodding and proceeding. Kieara held the door open as the youngest reached the one step and stood right next to her.

"Sssh, if we hide maybe he won't realize we were here." Kieara said, before pushing her little sister inside. She stood inside at the doorway before Kieara slowly tip toed inside. As she removed her last foot from the outside to the inside, she smiled, preparing to close the door.

"Haha, told you the cops are retarded."

She started to close the door before she heard the horn honk from the car. Kieara and Princess froze before popping their heads outside.

"While you're in there, can you ask your mother for some coffee!" The Doughnut officer screamed at them from his car, not bothering to look. Kieara and Princess exchanged glances, unaware if he was talking to them or someone on the police radio. He hadn't looked at them so Kieara assumed not.

"I'm talking to you sweethearts, Kieara, Princess!" The office said before placing the board down and looked at the astonished girls hiding behind the door. Kieara unsurely pointed at herself, "Me?"

"Who else!" He said, getting out the car and walking around it. The two sisters sighed, realizing they hadn't escaped in time. Princess opened the door for the doughnut as he stood in front of them, Kieara then quickly closed the door half way. She stared at him from the crease between the door and seal, while the officer looked around in confusion.

"Uh, I have to walk in the house you know?"

"We don't want you here, cop!" Kieara shouted. Princess said something to Kieara softly, but the officer couldn't hear it.

"Excuse me, but this is the _I don't care_ police, you can call the _care_ police for that problem." The Doughnut said as he pushed the door open. Kieara and Princess looked at each other before back at the cop.

"You don't even have a search warrant, out, OUT!" Kieara said, pointing towards the car. The doughnut laughed, "Heh, why does everyone think that you need a warrant to enter a house?" Kieara blinked, unsure as to why he found that funny.

"I'm not searching you little girl, and really I don't have time for this. I'm here to see Denise." He explained. Both Princess and Kieara sighed upon hearing this and opened the door for him. They looked at the ground in defeat, knowing he had permission now. "That's better." He stated before walking in.

"Whatever, you're not so smart. You didn't even notice us until we started to close the door!" Kieara shot.

"Sure I didn't, anyways, where is your mother?" He asked, looking around at the all too familiar household. Minus the clean aspects of it, which was usually covered by beer bottles. _'Times change I guess.' _He thought.

"She's in the kitchen." Princess said quietly. She wasn't comfortable with the police in her house, unlike Jamie and Kieara who had gotten so used to it. But they were always reluctant not to let him in.

"Thanks sweetie, and by the way, it works best during the afternoon." He said before walking towards the kitchen. Princess made a confused expression, before looking up at Kieara. She shrugged, unaware of what that meant.

"What kind of joke was that, you need to clean up on that." Kieara meekly said before turning back to Princess. "Dumb cop making jok-….OH! Oh…..oh…I get it, he was talking about the magnifying glass….HEY HE DID KNOW WE WERE THERE!"

"Of course I knew, im a cop, remember?" He shouted from another room.

Denise was cooking something in a pot as the cop knocked on the kitchen wall. She looked over and smiled before looking back at the pot. "So, why are you here today?" She asked. The officer wasn't the least bit surprised that she was taking this all too well. However, ever since her fashion change, he's been a tad bit more attracted to her. But he still had to be cautious about her, her daughter was Jamie after all and she looked so much like a mature version of her.

'_Stay on duty, soldier!'_ He told himself as he cleared his throat.

"Your daughter ma'am." He said. Denise looked over for a second, with a hint of interest. "One of them got arrested?" The Doughnut cop nodded, "Yep." Denise sighed as she tapped her foot and looked up at the ceiling for a second.

'_The food in that pot smells nice…..must be pasta or something.' T_he officer said, drifting off.

"Is it Jamie?" She asked.

"Yeah, you know it." He joked, but he immediately noticed Denise shake her fist so he went back to acting serious. "This is the second arrest this year, aint it!" Denise said loudly, looking over at him. The officer nodded, aware she knew what was going to happen next.

"Ma'am I don't think I have to tell you, but you know what happens on the third, right?" He asked. Denise nodded, holding her hand on her hot head. The officer then noticed he could see her eyebrows rather clearly, which meant she obviously got a haircut, unlike Jamie. Matter of fact, her hair was cut down so that her head didn't seem so big, again unlike Jamie.

"Man, why am I making all these observations lately?" He asked himself.

"Huh?"

"….Oh sorry ma'am!" The officer apologized, "Just talking to myself, that's all." Denise stared at him before turning off the pot and grabbing the oven mitten. She grabbed the handle of the metal pot and lifted it to the four bowls on the counter. She then looked at the curious officer before looking back at the bowls.

"Im sorry, you can find a seat somewhere and we'll talk in a second."

"Will do I got all the time in the world." He said pulling up a chair. Denise smiled at him before looking over at the doorway to the kitchen. Since the window to the front room was visible from the kitchen doorway and the sun was setting, she could clearly make out the shadows of Kieara and Princess. That and the fact that the orange setting sun was blasting the living room right now. She looked over at the officer whose body had darkened due to their shadows, but he didn't seem to notice them.

"Is the sun bothering you?" Denise asked, knowing what he would do

"Umm…" The officer looked over at the slither of light which pierced his body, which lead his eyes out the doorway and right to the two girls who were just standing there. Immediately their eyes connected and Kieara grabbed Princess's arm and ran. As soon as they left the sun blasted in his face.

"Eh…well it wasn't." He stated.

"Alright, im finished." Denise said, putting the now empty pot into the sink and briefly turning on the water. "Explain what needs to be done." Denise said, standing over him. "I presume she's in the car?"

"No, she's back at the station. I needed you to sign a digital form for her release." He explained. Denise frowned. "You came all the way here to tell me that?" The officer shook his head. "No, I wanted to call you down but your daughter refused to release your number."

"Why?" Denise asked, "And don't you have my number by now?"

"Why? I dunno, something to do with her distaste for officers and we have it in a book but one of the officers has the book and we can't get a hold of him and…" He said making motions with his hands. "…..Well, you can see how I was cut short here."

"I see…so I gotta go down to the station and pick her up?" Denise asked. The cop nodded before getting up. "Well….see the thing is….my car is-"

"You can ride with me." The Doughnut said.

"B-But…my kids are here and…"

"They can come along, or they can stay here if you trust them."

"…..I don't wanna go along, but fine, I'll leave them here." Denise said as she grabbed the hot bowls and placed them on the table. "We better hurry before they get cold." She said, getting a laugh from the cop. "With this blasted heatwave, you'll have a problem just keeping them cool!" He laughed as he walked into the living room.

"You can get your kids situated, but hurry, I'm in the car!" He shouted from the living room, quickly followed by the sound of the door opening and closing. Denise looked over at her kids hiding behind the couch in the living room.

"I'm going to pick up Jamie, we'll be back. Don't wreck anything and call me or Steve if you need anything." Denise said, as both girls nodded. "Dinner is in the back, let it cool for a while." Denise added before sighing and walking out the door. She closed it rather softly as both girls looked back at each other.

"Jamie won't stand a chance this time, second this year." Kieara said.

"Don't say that, the cops can't beat up mom." Princess tried to explain.

"You don't really understand what just happened huh?" Kieara asked, more rhetoric than anything.

**-On the way to the Station, 7:45pm—**

"How bad was she acting?" Denise asked.

"Okay, but I said something and then she tried to attack me. But she was behind the bars so it was useless." The officer said, as he looked over at the somewhat irritated and saddened Denise. She rested her head on the window while fiddling with her fingers. "Denise, it wasn't so bad. She was a lot better than last time."

"That's not what I'm concerned about." She said quietly.

"What is it then?" He asked, turning the steering wheel.

"I didn't think that Jamie would get arrested, she had made such a turnaround I thought." Denise said. The officer shook from side to side. "Well, she has in terms of violence per-say. I haven't seen her beat anyone up, but in attitude, she's kinda same."

"…."

"But she's still doing a lot better than before, ever since she started hanging out with that Watterson boy." He said as he pulled up into the station. "But everyone makes mistakes, and she just made a minor one."

"Minor?" She asked, "And yeah, what did she do exactly?"

**-Inside the Station—**

"YOU STOLE SOME CLOTHES!" Denise screamed at Jamie inside the cell. The girl stumbled back for a second before lifting a hand. Luckily the bars separated them, the cop knew that was the best idea. "Mom, It was just one thing!" Jamie weakly stated. The officer then noticed the nail and the scratches on the wall with goofy carvings.

"You wrote on my wall? How'd you get that nail in here?" The officer asked.

"Hair, anyways, it was just a tiny little shirt!" Jamie explained.

"Who the fu-…the flip cares, Jamie!" Denise shouted, her voice sinking a bit. "So what's the next excuse!"

"I don't have one…I just thought I could sneak a shirt and that's it, sorry." Jamie pouted. Denise sighed, feeling some of her anger leave in surprise that Jamie gave up so easily. "Jamie, you know that's wrong, I could've bought you a fancy new shirt if you wanted one."

"Yeah, sorry I wasn't thinking about it." Jamie sighed.

"You need to think more!" Denise said, before shaking her head and turning to the officer. "You said you had the clothing?" She asked. The officer dug his hand in the bag that was resting on his desk. One of the lights in the cell section kept flickering.

"Yeah I have it, and sorry about the light."

"It's fine, there's plenty of others." Denise reassured as the officer pulled out the piece of clothing. "Here, this shirt." He said as Denise examined it. "She had walked out the mall about a couple blocks before I caught her acting weird." He explained. "The store was about to close so there was little chance I could return it, I don't know if you want to fork over the money right now or I'll just give the thing back." Denise wasn't listening as she was more confused than anything. She looked over at Jamie, who looked back with a somewhat uneasy expression.

"Why would you steal that kind of shirt?" Denise asked. The shirt itself was white with yellow sunrays at the corner and grey birds flying over with a lighter gray clouds, and some weird lines that made the shirt dark the higher it went from the bottom to the collar.

"It's nice, but it's not really your tom boy style." Denise said, almost calmly. Jamie shrugged, as she got up from the bench. "You're not one to use designs or labels on your clothes." Denise said, pointing out the wife beater she was wearing and her black pants, her usual attire.

"It's nothing Mom, just can we go?" She asked.

"Nah, not until you explain why you stole this." Denise said, turning to Jamie. The girl looked towards the ground and sighed. Denise still didn't get an answer. "Were you framed? Or did you do this with a bunch of people and you got the clothes mixed up."

"None of that!" Jamie exclaimed. "I don't normally steal, you know that."

"Jamie it's only been two or three months since you stole something, summer vacation is in and it seems like you've got more time n-"

"I didn't steal it for myself Mom!" Jamie exclaimed.

"Oh don't tell me….Tina? She can't fit this! What about Tobias? He doesn't even wear clothes that often. Or what ab-"

"It's for Gumball, Mom." Jamie said, with her hands on her hips, frowning. "I thought you'd pick up on that." Denise blinked for a second before sighing and looking over at the officer. "Did she tell you this?" The officer shook his head, "Nope." Denise sighed before wiping her head.

"Did he ask you to steal this?" Denise asked.

"No, I promise you!" Jamie said, hoping they could just go. Denise turned to the cop before twirling her hand. "You can release her now."

"You buying the shirt?" The officer asked.

"Mom please!" Jamie exclaimed.

"Have you lost your sense, girl?" She asked before turning to the officer who was twirling his keys. "No, she'll pay for this time you've been forced to waste…..doing public service or whatever." She muttered.

"Ugggh!"

"Now don't you hit me!" The officer said as he put the keys inside the lock and pushed the bars open. "Get out." The girl walked out her cell before quickly turning towards the officer, causing him to flinch.

"Oh grow up!" He shouted as the girl giggled and attended her more disappointed mother. "We'll talk about this in the car." Denise then looked over at the doughnut. "Let's go please."

"Mom, please buy the shirt!" Jamie begged.

"Why are you trying to please that boy anyways?" Denise asked, walking out of the station to a barrage of cricket cherps. Night had fallen. Jamie sighed before trying to explain, "Well, remember those chocolates from last week…"

"Yeah?"

"Well, he gave those to me….and those new shoes, and my new wife-beater t-shirt, and my new haircut, and-"

"Haircut? You mean your hairline? Haircut my a-"

"So basically I wanted to pay him back, and haven't even spent time with him since Monday before last." Jamie said, stepping into the Police Car. Denise stepped into the back with her. "You can sit in the front ma'am." The cop said, getting in the automobile. "No, it's alright, I'm already situated."

"And where is Gumball getting this money from?" Denise asked.

"Mom." Jamie explained.

"Nicole doesn't have that kind of income." Denise dismissed.

"Jeez Mom, way to talk about your friend." Jamie snickered as Denise grinned and playfully hit her shoulder. "Don't get too comfy, as punishment for getting arrested you're losing your Internet time, TV time, and you're going to run my errands tomorrow." Jamie groaned before nodding and turning her head.

The car started to head out to their house, while Jamie and Denise talked about what she was going to do tomorrow. Occasionally the officer would grumble to himself and turn on the siren despite no emergency. Denise and Jamie rolled their eyes constantly at his stereotypical police antics before continuing.

"We're almost home, so eat your dinner, and go to bed immediately." Denise explained.

"Sure." Jamie said, casually.

"Oh, and the officer talked to me about something important so I need to bring it up." Denise explained before lowering her voice. "You have your second strike, but it's only been half the year." Jamie nodded, knowing full well what she would say next.

"I don't want you going to Juvenile Hall again." Denise carefully explained.

"Please, the last times I went was for like a day of sentencing." Jamie said, not really scared. Denise shook her head. "You're not going to have a bright future if you get comfortable being locked in a cell." Denise said, Jamie didn't really reply, mostly not interested.

"Either that or it's a house arrest. I'm sure you don't want an ankle bracelet on you." Denise said, looking out and seeing the blackened house in the nightfall. "I carried you for nine months, you have little sisters, I don't want my family to end up like me." Denise said as Jamie sighed and felt the car turn off.

"Can we get out now?" Jamie asked.

"Yes, please do." The officer said, unlocking the door. Denise and Jamie stepped out and the little girl immediately walked to the house. The officer looked at her oddly before Denise kneeled down, looking at him through the window.

"So, what's the fine?" Denise asked.

"Oh…eh…..nah, don't worry about it." The officer said, turning on the motor. Denise knew it was best to leave it like that, and not pretend to 'want' a fine just to look proper. Denise smiled and said Goodnight, before walking to the house with the impatient Jamie sitting at the front door. The officer drove away and the sirens echoed throughout the dark neighborhood, with a few car doors shutting and people screaming playfully and talking in the background.

"Mom, the porch light isn't working." Jamie said.

"I know, but we don't need it, I have the key." Denise explained before unlocking the door and walking inside. Jamie groaned as she walked inside, because the night air was a summer cool and the inside was stuffy and familiar.

"C'mon Mom, air this place out its too hot." Jamie complained, Denise paid no mind as she walked through the living room where the two little girls sat. They were watching ESPN and was eating the Ravioli she cooked.

"For one, get off the couch, second, is it still hot?" Denise asked.

"Yes, not burning hot but still warm." Kieara said, with a goofy expression as Jamie walked by. The older one didn't say Hi and just pretended like they weren't there. "So, where's the chow?" Jamie asked before Denise led her to the kitchen. Kieara followed to refill her drink.

"Everyone's sitting at the dining Table, no questions about Jamie, ask them tomorrow." Denise announced before bringing out the _store bought_ but still delicious vanilla cake.

After dinner Jamie immediately went to their bedroom and went to bed, being summer and all she didn't mind when she fell asleep or awoke. Denise had reminded her to get up at 9 and get to work, luckily for Jamie they were around town. All she had to do was do the Laundry and go shopping, but unfortunately the store was all the way across town so It would be a long bus ride.

**-The Next Morning 11:45am—**

Jamie had went to the McDonald's near their house, it was around Three O' Clock and she walked down the main street eating up her fries. "Okay, so when is this bus getting here?" She said, looking at the electronic schedule on the bus stop overhead. She sat down in the seat, knowing the less she thought about this, the faster it would go. After five minutes or so the bus finally arrived, with a sign reading '_Bus NX: To Haight & 55nd, North Elmore.'_

Jamie got on the bus and sat near the back, it seemed empty at first before she heard someone say her name. "Hey, Jamie!" The girl looked around but then looked down and saw Anton. Jamie made a little grin and tipped her head up. "Sup, get over here I haven't seen you since school."

"Sorry, but neither you or Tina called me lately." Anton smiled.

"Eh, been busy." Jamie said, leaning back as the bus zoomed off. "Haven't hung out with anyone in like a week or two." The girl then looked down at the happy piece of toast. "Why so happy?"

"I'm going to a music course!" Anton cheered. "Speaking of which, this bus goes to _North Elmore._"

"Yeah I know, so?" Jamie asked, curious.

"Well I mean, you're more of a _South Elmore_ type. In North there are just houses and trees and parks, there's no action over there, if you know what I mean." Anton explained. Jamie shrugged. "I'm not over there to have fun, I'm over there to go shopping since the stores over in my area are junk."

"Besides, are you saying I'm a hood rat?" Jamie asked. "Because I'm not!"

"I know, I know, I was just saying, you know?" Anton said, trying to calm her a bit.

"Well whatever, but it is true somewhat, North isn't my type, but then again you can't trust no one in my area." Jamie explained before looking at the bus route on the wall of the bus. She then looked at her ipod for the time and sighed.

"Bus needs to hurry up." Jamie groaned.

**-Duboce St. 12:06pm—**

The bus finally had arrived to the bus stop on the side of the supermarket. Jamie said her goodbyes to Anton and left the bus. She pulled the Grocery list out of her pocket and then sighed upon realizing she'd be carrying a large assessment of bags.

'_How the hell am I supposed to carry all this shit.'_ Jamie thought before she looked around this area. There was three huge markets and an office building in the middle. Only blocks away on all sides however were nice family houses, varied drastically by size however. It was a mini area for easy accessible organic and common foods. Jamie then suddenly became a little self-conscious when noticing she was just wearing a t-shirt and black pants, almost like a thug.

"Just get the shit and go home." Jamie said as she walked towards the automatic doorway, accompanied with a nasty glare for the green security guard who normally policed there. Jamie couldn't help but notice his build, and his eyes gave away the fact that he grew up in the ghetto. She walked to the door before snapping her fingers.

"Hey man, you're from the poor too, watcha looking at me for like that?" Jamie asked.

"I'm here to do my job, this isn't a rich area either." He said with a slightly ghetto accent. "I just don't want any trouble, and I know trouble from my community when I see it." Jamie rolled her eyes before pointing at him.

"Don't be a traitor, man!" Jamie said.

"Someday you'll grow up and realize Southside is no good for you." The officer said before motioning with his hand to go inside and leave him alone. Jamie rolled her eyes before saying, "How did you know I was from Sou-"

"You wreak of it, everything about you, and the way you don't listen." The security guard said before dispatching his baton. "You mustin' have talked to too many people today, but you either go inside or you'll be arrested for loitering." Jamie sighed, knowing that wouldn't be good. "And for some reason I feel like you couldn't afford a third one."

Jamie looked at him, astonished. Then she wondered why she even bothered to talk to him for so long. She sighed and waved before stepping inside the cool grocery store. It was surprisingly nice although it smelled a bit, a lot better than the hot summer sun. She immediately recognized the noises of the electronic cash registers making the _'beeping'_ sounds when products are scanned.

And of course it was welcomed with people giving her a quick eye and glare, especially old people.

"Alright, first is orange juice, milk, apple juice, and soda. The first three will probably be in the refrigerated area." Jamie said as she walked down the most empty aisles to the back of the store where the things are, but not without grabbing a shopping cart.

Jamie groaned trying to push the stupid thing as it was her exact height, so she had to raise her hands to her forehead in order to actually push the thing. She tried to keep her eyes in front of her while pulling up to the glass doors of the refrigerated drinks. She pulled out the milk, orange juice, and apple juice, and sloppily tossed the last two which were made of plastic into the cart. Jamie then placed the carton on the lower floor of the cart underneath its hold because she couldn't throw the fragile thing.

"Can't be distracted, just get it and go!" Jamie thought as she pushed the basket towards the sports drinks and soda area. She pulled out the necessary things before moving on down the abnormally long list.

After a while she finished up and needed to get the five last items on the list, and it was a hassle no less as she couldn't find them. "Dammit, where the fuck is the vinegar!" Jamie thought, going through the spice section again. She then noticed it on the very top of the shelve.

'_OH MAAAAAAN!'_ Jamie thought as she looked at the cart for a second before back up at the vinegar. Jamie then sighed and climbed into the cart, pulling herself up and then fell inside. The cart was jammed with all kinds of foods and boxes, giving her some height. She prayed to herself that she wasn't crushing anything that would leak or spill. She then started to reach for it, but her fingertips scraped the bottom.

'_This is going to end one of two ways…..i either get another item to pull it down and pray the glass doesn't shatter by missing the cart…or I try and catch it once I tip it with the fingertips….hmmm.'_

Jamie then shrugged and presumed she would just make a break for it once the bottle broke, she then took the cereal box and tried to tip it towards her from the top. She then managed to tip it, and it started to shake back and forth.

"Fuck, please fall towards me!" Jamie thought.

Oddly enough while this was taking place, Gumball happened to have passed by her aisle. Both oblivious to each other, at least Gumball and Jamie were. Darwin was accompanied with him reading a magazine until he quickly noticed the girl trying to tip the bottle over. He didn't stop walking with Gumball however because she was too far down the aisle to recognize her.

"Gumball, some weirdo was trying to tip a bottle over." Darwin said, before noticing more refrigerated aisles, carrying tv dinners and ice cream. "Yeah, well you should've stopped him." Gumball said, trying to make a yo-yo work.

"Eh, don't feel lik-…..ICE CREAM!" Darwin said, pointing towards the frozen compartments filled with ice cream containers. They almost seemed to glow blue. Gumball of course was immediately attracted to its glamorous glow. The fish didn't have much trouble leading him down the aisle which of course was joined with the aisle that Jamie was on. Although she was on the other side.

"Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, we've got to get it." Darwin said, opening up the door and grabbing the large container. Gumball held it for him as they exchanged glances. "We need chocolate syrup, it's on the other side of the aisle!" Gumball said.

"Well lets go and g-….there's that person again." Darwin said, listening to the bottles clinking.

"What p-….oh yeah, who cares." Gumball said, before noting the source. "Look up there, someone is trying to knock It down." Gumball said a little casually. It was the opposite non refrigerated aisle which held bottles and cooking oils. They couldn't see who was on the other side, just the floating cereal box.

"Hey genius, you're going to knock it over here!" Darwin teased.

"HUH?!" The girl shouted on the other side.

"I said, YOU'RE GOING TO KNOCK IT OVER HERE!" Darwin screamed, causing Gumball to crack up. "Why are you screaming, the person is right there?" The fish shrugged. "Couldn't hear me."

"Okay and? I know what I'm doing." The muffled voice said, as both boys could recognize it as a girl.

"It's called a ladder, might be better than whatever you're doing!" Darwin joked, before pointing towards the action while rolling his eyes at Gumball. The cat giggled.

"Oh shut the hell up, dumbass!"

Darwin's snickering immediately stopped as he in an annoyed manner looked over at the still snickering Gumball, although he was currently laughing at Darwin. Neither of them cussed that often, and when they did it was low class words, something not really offensive.

"JERK!" Darwin screamed.

"Well you started it, retard!"

"Ugh, impolite, stupid girl!" Darwin groaned before walking away with the humored cat. "You look sooo pissed off!" Gumball laughed, but then Darwin rudely turned to him. "Thanks for backing me up, buddy!" The cat made a grin through his laughter, "Well she made a point you did start it, but she does have a bit of a potty mouth."

Gumball and Darwin then went over to see exactly what this person looked like and to get the syrup.

"GOT IT!" Jamie said, grabbing the bottle and jumping all the way down to the floor. She then tossed it in the cart and noticed the two brothers staring at her. Gumball, upon realization, then turned to Darwin, and reached over and handed him the chocolate syrup.

"Tell Mom we got ice cream." Gumball told him, almost robotically. Darwin looked at Jamie before back at Gumball. "Oh you guys want some…okay." Darwin said walking off. Gumball waited till he cleared the aisle and attend his young girlfriend.

"Well hello there!" Gumball said, running over and jumping in for a kiss. Jamie however didn't really seem to be interested and merely pecked him on the lips before attempting to push the cart away. "Hey, that's all I get?" Gumball asked, expecting a make out. "I haven't seen you in like two weeks!"

"I've been busy, you know that." Jamie said, suddenly remembering that she was going to give Gumball that shirt he wanted. Until of course she lost it. "So Gumball, did you get that shirt you wanted?" Jamie asked, Gumball sighed and groaned.

"No, Mom wanted me to work for it and after I did it the house caught fire and…..well….i didn't get it." Gumball said, a little sad. Jamie sighed and leaned in for a kiss. Gumball noticed this and happily sprung up and locked lips with her. But Gumball quickly broke.

"We got three seconds to make out." Gumball said, before continuing with their kiss. Jamie didn't understand but just decided to lap her tongue with his before Gumball broke it. Immediately afterwards Nicole and Darwin with a shopping cart strolled into the aisle.

"Hmm, wanna give a good show for your Mom?" Jamie asked jokingly.

"Ugh, don't make me vomit." Gumball groaned.

"Ah Jamie!" Nicole said, pushing her filled shopping cart over to her. Darwin following. The little girl made a smile before Gumball stopped Nicole for proceeding any further. "Mom, we were busy." Gumball said.

"You can do your kissy time later." Nicole said, dismissing him. Darwin shrugged at the surprised Gumball. "Bro, everyone knows, you're not slick." Gumball ignored him as Nicole walked by towards Jamie.

"That's quite a bit of food there, where is Denise?" Nicole asked.

"Not here, she sent me to go shopping for her." Jamie explained. Nicole blinked and instinctively looked around for a second. "So, your Mother sent you all the way to the North to go shopping for THAT MUCH food…" Nicole said, pointing at her filled basket. "All by yourself?"

"Yeah, she's sorta punishing me." Jamie said as Nicole rolled her eyes, not seeing that as a logical punishment but expecting nothing less. Nicole was about to ask why she was punished before Gumball spoke up.

"Mom you're going to have to drive her home." Gumball said.

"Yeah, I figured." Nicole said, staring at the girl. "Can't let you go alone like that with all that food." Darwin then followed Nicole as Jamie and Gumball exchanged glances. "You're welcome." Gumball joked. "Yeah, thanks for making me look helpless." Jamie replied.

"You know why I did it." Gumball said, wrapping his arm around her. Jamie didn't really show much interest back but for the sake of Gumball she returned the favor with her own arm.

**-Dump's Café 2:00 pm—**

"You know Steve, I'm sticking you with the bill, right?" Denise joked.

"Good, I didn't want to hear much arguing from you anyways." Steve said, sticking a fork in the spaghetti and twirling it. "Lots of cheese on this, huh?" Denise nodded, enjoying the delicious food. She then reached over and grabbed the garlic bread sticks before cracking conversation.

"So, since teachers get like the entire summer off, are you still paid for the time being or you're given a large sum of money?" Denise asked, causing Mr. Small to crack up a bit. Denise carefully watched him. This was their fifteenth time out, and they had already established themselves as really good friends, soon if Denise was luckily, a boyfriend.

"Everything you talk about seems to be related to money." Mr. Small laughed, wiping the tomato sauce off his chin with the napkin. Denise smiled before sipping her white wine, which personally she couldn't stand but was trying to be polite.

"Well, I'm so used to not having any with my broke ass and forty-five thousand dollar income." Denise explained. "I feel like a college student, despite never being one." Mr. Small felt odd about her talking about her financial despair, but he went with it.

"Well to answer your question, we're still paid regardless, but you on the other hand live in a okay one story house." Mr. Small explained, chewing on a breadstick. "You sure you make forty-five a year?"

"Well, the house was bought off by a loan, but I've been fighting my ass off not for it to be foreclosed. A sizable amount of payment I give every month keeps it. But I'm not close to paying it off." Denise said before smiling at Steve. "It's in Deep South Elmore anyways, so really how expensive could it be?"

"Please, Elmore is suburban all over, with a little downtown, there are no ghettos here." Mr. Small argued. Denise shook her head, " Um….what was the last killing in North or East Elmore?" Denise asked.

"I dunno, not counting the car crash from last month….i'd say, two years ago." Small said, not catching on.

"Now, what was the last you heard in South?" Denise asked.

"…..Last Week….Okay you win." Mr. Small laughed, picking up his wine and drinking it down.

"Besides, despite the area I really enjoyed your company." Mr. Small said, poking at the salad on his smaller plate. Denise ate a little more before nodding. "Good, everyone enjoys your company too." Mr. Small sat back and stretched out for a second before leaning in.

"I'm not trying to force myself into your family, and I know you wouldn't want that." Mr. Small said.

"Please, full speed ahead." Denise groaned. "I would most certainly put up with it."

"But, I enjoyed being around your daughters…..in fatherly sort of way." Mr. Small explained, knowing Denise was watching him carefully. She let out a little smirk before drinking a little more and setting the glass down.

"I anticipated that you w-"

"No, you couldn't have." Mr. Small said, interrupting her in a serious yet stunned manner. He looked down at his fingers, twirling away. "You couldn't really imagine….how much on Saturday….."

"You enjoyed fathering them." Denise said, finishing his statement, she shrugged and tapped on the table, causing him to raise his head. "They really enjoyed you too, we saw it in your eyes and I saw it in there's." Denise said. "They were desperate for another, that's why they weren't so rebellious when you first took them to school."

"Well….not all of them." Steve said, twirling his hand in reference.

"Well, no Kieara likes you a lot. She's just at the age where she understood the importance of another, but didn't really want to accept it. Whereas Princess is just glad to have a daddy and Jamie just is glad she's got another pocketbook and caregiver." Denise explained before tapping her fork on the clay plate.

"Kieara enjoys you a lot, but she remembers things and doesn't know how to process them. Jamie on the other hand put up with it, and accepted it. Especially with Gumball around now." Denise laughed, but Small didn't, thinking more on the word she used.

"Process? What's there to Process?" Mr. Small asked, Denise looked at him oddly before looking around the room for a second. "Uh, didn't I tell you about the father?" Denise asked, feeling butterflies in her stomach as she brushed back her black hair. _'Oh….i don't want to talk about this right now.'_

"You really didn't tell m-"

"Jeez, I need to sharpen my horns!" Denise said, reaching up and feeling them. "I also need a haircut that doesn't look like Jamie's, I like people to see my eyebrows." Mr. Small grinned at this statement. _'She obviously doesn't want to talk about it.'_

"Eh, they don't look that bad, just more like pancakes." Mr. Small joked as Denise reached over and playfully hit him. Denise then raised her hand and motioned for the waiter to come over. Mr. Small noticed this before tapping her arm to get her attention.

"Uh, leaving so soon are we?" Mr. Small asked.

"Well yeah, we're just about done aren't we?" Denise asked.

"Well, are we full or does some cake sound nice?" Mr. Small asked, "Maybe with some more wine?" Denise thought for a second before compromising. "On one condition, that we get some soda, and not wine."

Mr. Small blinked, "Oh well sure but…..why no wine?"

Denise shrugged, "I didn't want to be rude, but wine is just odd to me."

The cloud man laughed before noting the waiter standing there. Of course it was Larry, dressed in a nice tux. Mr. Small looked around for a second before asking, "Wait, where's the other waiter Larry?" The young adult smiled, "Early leave, I'll be doing everything else for now."

Denise didn't know Larry that well however Steve knew him very well. The cloud man grinned at him, before asking, "This is a very fancy job, congratulations, but….forgive me for asking, what are your goals?" Larry blinked and Denise grinned at this.

"I mean, you seem to work everywhere, where's those degrees at?" Mr. Small asked.

"Well I got a B.A. in Film and currently I work for the director, getting him coffee and he teaches me how to do things and what not." Steve smiled at this statement. "So you ARE doing something. Sorry I just wanted to know."

"That's okay, but anyways are you folks looking for the bill?" Larry asked.

"No, just two slices of chocolate cake, light on the chocolate." Steve said, before Larry immediately wrote it down and walked away. Denise grinned even more at his clumsiness. "Guy didn't even ask me what I wanted."

"Eh, leave him alone he's trying." Mr. Small said.

"Anyways, we're watching a movie tonight and I was wondering if you would like to stay." Denise asked, knowing he would say yes. "Great, I would love to, the movie?" Steve asked. "Silverlining."Denise replied.

"Oh, the Wild West movie?" Mr. Small asked.

"Yeah, TV Special tonight." Denise said.

It didn't take long as Larry cleared their table and handed them their fat slices of chocolate cake, sprinkled with powdered sugar and hot chocolate frosting. The cake itself was still warm. Denise and Mr. Small very much enjoyed their slices.

"Hey, does Jamie like me?" Mr. Small asked.

"….Well yeah of course, why would you doubt?" Denise asked.

"Sometimes she gets mad at me, encouraged by Kieara of course, and it seems like sometimes she likes using me." Mr. Small said.

"Don't worry, I get that all the time, it's nothing." Denise said.

"Right….but she seems cautious of me whenever I explain she's doing something wrong." Mr. Small said.

"Again, it's just how she is." Denise said, swallowing a piece of her cake a drinking it down with a cold coke. "Like Gumball, you'll just have to ease on her."

**-Watterson House, 3:12pm—**

"This is kidnap." Jamie said, chewing on her home cooked cheeseburger.

"If this is kidnap then I wish I was kidnapped every day." Darwin said happily, as he chewed away at his burger. The Watterson Family sat with Jamie at the dinner table and ate up homemade French fries and cheeseburgers.

"Well, when do you want to go back?" Nicole asked.

"Um, around five o' clock, maybe six." Jamie said.

"Rather early, what's up?" Nicole asked.

"Movie night, with Mr. Steve Small." Jamie said goofily. Anais looked around the table for a second, wondering if anyone was going to ask the obvious. "Um, he's been over at your house a lot." Anais said, Jamie nodded, knowing what she was getting at. "Mom sees him as a boyfriend, which I'm cool with…..as long as he doesn't take it too far."

"Uh oh." Nicole said to herself.

"Too far, whats to-" Richard was cut off by Nicole elbowing him in the side. Jamie looked at him oddly before she felt Gumball tap her shoulder. "What's _Too Far_ mean, pulling the moves on your Mom?" Gumball asked. Nicole groaned and covered her eyes_, 'Gumball, sometimes I swear you're so st-'_

"Nah it just means that if he starts doing things with her, or if he starts making us call him _Father._" Jamie explained. Gumball frowned, "What's wrong with that?" Anais then butted in, "Yeah, weren't you the one advocating for him to be called daddy?" Jamie shook her head back and forth.

"True, but I didn't really take it so seriously at first." Jamie explained, feeling odd on the matter. "We like him more as a father type of stand in, but not our actual Dad." Jamie added before rethinking her statement, "Well, at least not so soon. We've just started seeing him, I mean logically he shouldn't already be acting like Dad."

"Whose talking about fathers anyways, c'mon Jamie, cut Mr. Small a break." Nicole said, knowing Jamie didn't fully understand why she needed Mr. Small so much. Jamie grinned at that statement. "Well it's obvious they love each other, but our Mom is a strong woman, and some of us don't take Men barging in too well." Nicole sighed at this obviously naïve statement.

"Alright, sure." Nicole said, _'Dumb girl, Denise isn't strong, she just has to survive, she wanted to be such a free woman when she was in High School.'_ Jamie knew Nicole thought she was being stupid, but the little girl dismissed it as she didn't want to start anything with this family. Gumball hadn't caught on, Darwin ignored the entire conversation, Richard was still trying to figure out what the conversation was even about, and Anais looked a little bummed that she couldn't point out the obvious.

'_Don't all kids act rebellious to their parental replacements at first, and justify it with something stupid?'_ Anais thought to herself. Gumball shrugged and softly elbowed Jamie. "Well don't worry, if you ever need any help dealing with Steve, you can call us." Anais frowned at that statement and Darwin nodded.

"So now Mr. Small is a bad guy?" Richard asked, catching up. "Make up your mind Gumball."

"And his name is **MR**. SMALL, not Steve, I told you about that!" Nicole shouted at him.

"Why are we even talking about him?" Anais asked.

"Well actuall-" Gumball cut off Jamie.

"Because he's at her house all the time Anais, catch up." Gumball said, finding her statement rude.

"Oh here we go." Darwin said to himself. "Look, both of you just shut up before you say something you'll regret." Nicole then got up from her seat and grinned at Darwin. "Maybe you shouldn't say _'shut up'_." Gumball sighed and looked at his mother.

"Can Jamie and I go take a walk?" He asked.

"Who said Jamie wants to go off and walk?" Nicole asked.

"Yeah, I didn't say I wanted to walk. " Jamie pointed out. Gumball looked at her before popping his eye brows up and down, still maintaining a serious grin.

"Oh, I get it." Nicole sighed, "He wants to make out, ugh!"

"MOM!" Gumball shouted.

"Oh c'mon Gumball, everyone knows you're not slick." Anais said.

"Agreed." Richard added.

"I told him that in the store today, you might as well just go off and say it every time." Darwin pointed out. Gumball slapped Darwin on his head before looking at his mother. "No, I just want to talk to her." Nicole nodded, "And then you want to make out?" Gumball glared at her before Nicole sighed and waved her hands while Darwin pouted, rubbing his head.

"Alright, beat it." Nicole demanded.

Jamie and Gumball didn't hesitate as they left the table and rushed out the room. Gumball held the door open for Jamie as she walked out, followed by him. The two lovers sighed, feeling like a ton of weight had left their shoulders.

"So, what's up, other than your tail?" Jamie asked.

"Huh?" Gumball looked back and saw his tail was down. "Tail isn't up." Jamie snickered, "Try the tail in the front, bro." Gumball looked down at where his tail would be if it were on his front, realizing something WAS sticking up.

"Oh come on!" Gumball cried, pulling his sweater over his crotch.

"Have you missed me that much?" Jamie said, looking around the neighborhood. "C'mon, let's get going." Gumball calmed down and grabbed her hand, beginning to walk down the street.

"So, just wanted some fresh air?" Jamie asked.

"No, I wanted to actually talk, but first things first." Gumball said, not trying to look at her. "Do you still do drugs?" Jamie snarled at that comment, "I told you, no!" Gumball wasn't buying it. "Any kind Jamie, even the ones you think are harmless."

"I told you, no, not that often." Jamie explained.

"_Not that often_ is not the same as _no._" Gumball stated.

"Oh whatever, it's not an overnight process." Jamie explained before pulling out a Kit-Kat she stole from the store. "It takes time, and all I'm doing now is weed, it's like the weakest." Gumball shrugged. "I don't know what weed is, but you better stop."

"Why'd you bring this up anyways, do I smell like it?" Jamie asked.

"No, you taste like it, when I kissed you in the store." Gumball said, snatching her Kit-Kat and unwrapping it for her. Jamie was stunned at his quickness before rolling her eyes as Gumball finished and took a bite out of it. "I guess you've hanged out with me so long you've become quick." Jamie said, as Gumball ignored it and got back to his second point. "Second, how is Mr. Small treating you?" Jamie grinned at this.

"Even if I told you, you couldn't do anything about it." Jamie said, interested in his sudden authoritarian posture.

"That bad huh?" Gumball said, judging her statement.

"No, it's not bad at all, I'm glad he's around." Jamie said, grabbing the Kit-Kat back from him. "It's just that we don't know him well enough, he's pushing himself into our business and he's not even a boyfriend yet." Gumball nodded. "Well, don't you want him to, a new man in your mother's life deserves to know your lifestyle." Jamie grinned at this.

"Gumball, you don't even understand our lifestyle." Jamie said.

"You always say that a-"

"Because it's true, and don't you ever think you actually do!" Jamie said, raising her voice a bit. Gumball sighed, not wanting to piss her off. "I'm just saying that life for you guys has gotten better, so what's the problem?"

"It's not the current, it's the past." Jamie said, a little oddly.

"The past?" Gumball asked, "The past of your family."

"Sure." Jamie said, taking a bite out the chocolate. Gumball knew he wasn't told of anything THAT bad in the past, didn't make much sense unless she was hiding something. "Whatever this past is, are you going to tell me?"

"No, maybe not now." Jamie said, taking another bite. "Besides, as long as things go the way they're supposed to I shouldn't have to." Gumball then decided to drop it here, knowing he wouldn't get any more info from her.

"So, what's up with your week?" Gumball said. Jamie was about to tell him that she tried to steal a shirt for him but then decided not to. "Well, nothing much, Mom just packed me down for the week." Gumball then stopped walking and looking back.

"Hey, we walked a little far!" Gumball shouted, Jamie finally stopped walking and looked back at him.

"Who cares." Jamie said, motioning for him to join her. Gumball ran over and pulled her with him. Jamie groaned as she swatted his hand away. Gumball didn't understand her attitude. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, look I'm going home, tell your Mom I had fun for the time being." Jamie said, walking away. Gumball frowned as he called out to her. "No Goodbye KISS!"

"NO!" Jamie screamed. "Love yah!"

The little girl felt a little relaxed now that she had seen the Wattersons again, and they were as hyped and stupid as ever. She walked about four blocks till she reached a main street and walked down it till she found a bus stop. Luckily for her the bus had just arrived and spared little time she was on her way back home.

**-14****th**** Street Road, On Route to Jamie's House 4:34pm-**

"My only concern is that I'll step too far." Mr. Small said, driving down the slightly poorer suburban and apartment households. "All I'm saying is that Kieara doesn't approve of that and Jamie likes me on some days." Denise kept snickering at the statements.

"Denise I don't find this funny!" Mr. Small said, trying to keep his eyes on the road.

"But I told you already, Jamie is always like that and Kieara is just following what Jamie does." Denise said before rolling down the window a little. "But you know I'm trying." Mr. Small said.

"Why are you trying so hard!" Denise asked, looking at him now. "Who wants to be so responsible of three rowdy girls!" Mr. Small shook his head. "I take this very seriously, but honestly I like children a lot."

"Okay that sounded weird but I get what you're saying, that doesn't excuse it." Denise explained. Mr. Small didn't really know how to explain himself. "I'm just saying I feel attached to them."

"But you're not Steve, as much as I'd like you to be." Denise said before poking him playfully. "But we can improve that."

"I'm not saying I want to be in your lives, but it's just…." Mr. Small stuttered, unable to find the right words. "I want…..to be a Father." Denise knew that was what he was going to say. "I know you do Steve, I somewhat want you to be a Father too."

"A father of your kids I mean, since I guess their father is gone." Mr. Small said.

"No kidding." Denise muttered. "I'm glad he is."

"But I'm not trying to be a burden." Mr. Small said, pulling the car up to the house. Denise shook his shoulder. "I know you're not, just be yourself and don't think about it, that's all." Denise said, hearing the car turning off. She opened the door and stepped out, with a somewhat worried Mr. Small. Denise then noticed Jamie staring at them, walking down the street.

"You JUST got back?" Denise asked. "And where are the groceries?"

"Mrs. Watterson told me that she would drop it off tonight." Jamie said, waving at Mr. Small. "Hey Small, long time no see eh?" The cloud man frowned at this, "I saw you last Saturday." Jamie sighed before nodding. "Yeah I know, but you're supposed to agree to the irony!"

"Oh, another one of your jokes?" Mr. Small asked.

"Yes, genius." Jamie said playfully, trying to distract herself from the conversation earlier. Denise watched them carefully before shaking her head. _'I told Steve he had nothing to worry about.'_ Denise thought, smiling as she shut the door.

"Well you seem excited to see me." Mr. Small said, noting the fact that she didn't rush for the door and walked with him. "It's just good not to see the same people every other day." Jamie replied, Mr. Small let out a sigh, Jamie was no longer inspecting him like she was on Saturday.

"By the way, how did you enjoy Saturday?" Mr. Small asked.

"What do you think? I never knew you knew how to Barbeque." Jamie said before looking back at her mother who was doing something farther away from the two. "Well I guess that's a self-invitation to the Block Party on August 6th?" Jamie cracked up when she heard that.

"Self-invitation my butt, you're not from around here, go back home and do some peace trials!" Jamie joked, but Mr. Small took it a little harshly. "Just go pray the nuclear missiles away like you always do." Mr. Small groaned at that statement.

"Well, surely you don't actually mean that, right?" Mr. Small asked.

"Well you shove yourself in enough." Jamie joked, not getting the hint.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to shove myself in." Mr. Small said. Jamie hadn't noted the seriousness of the comment and took it as sarcasm. "Oh, well there is ONE way you can make it up to me." Jamie said, thinking back to Gumball.

"What?" He asked.

"Well, there's this shirt I want…."

"Uh huh."

"A little pricey but well worth the buy!" Jamie said, trying to con him.

"Uh NO!" Denise shouted at her. Startling both Jamie and Mr. Small. "Nobody is buying Gumball that damn shirt but himself!" Jamie sighed as she walked through the door of the house, trying to get away from her mother.

"Sorry Steve, she got in trouble for that stupid shirt earlier." Denise said, not trying to go into the details.

"Oh, I dunno I could do it for her." Mr. Small said honestly, not finding a shirt that expensive.

"No, now go to the Kitchen and we'll order a pizza for the kids during the movie special." Denise said.

The cloud man did as he was told. He greeted the energetic Princess and the rather anti-social Kieara, busy with her handheld game system. Jamie tried to constantly get him to buy her the shirt. Denise kept having to tell her no. Then while Mr. Small helped Princess with her magnifying experiment outside, Jamie and Kieara watched him at the doorway.

"His presence here is getting a little annoying." Kieara said.

"Liar, you like it as much as I do." Jamie said, "I'll tell you when he's no longer allowed here." Personally she hoped that was never, but she felt like at times there was things Mr. Small didn't need to know. Kieara liked him, but didn't want to admit that their mother needed another man.

"Please, you're just too stupid to see that Mom doesn't need anyone." Kieara said, pulling out her Gameboy.

"Bull, I just think we don't know him well enough." Jamie said, looking over at her. "He still sorta checks us out like he's the dumb guidance consoler." Kieara then grinned, still looking at the Gameboy before back over at Small and Princess. "Hm, I sometimes see it."

"There you go, you have to line up the two suns in the magnifying glass and the light will burn the leaf." Mr. Small said, noting the leaf on the concrete getting a hole burned through it. Princess looked in amazement before looking over at Kieara, who was still staring at them.

"IDIOT! IT DOES WORK DURING SUNSET!" Princess screamed.

"Oh please, the sun just started setting!" Kieara shouted, not nearly as loud however. Mr. Small looked at them oddly before re-directing Princess's attention. Jamie then looked over at her.

"What are you talking about?" Jamie asked, suddenly feeling a lot hotter in her current pants. "We tried it yesterday, around the time Mom left to get you from Jail." Jamie grinned at that statement. "Shit wasn't even a real jail, more like a holding cell." Jamie then walked back inside before Kieara looked at her.

"Hey, where are you going? It's way too hot to be inside!" Kieara asked. "I'm going to get so popsicles and then switch out these hot clothes!" Jamie shouted. "Don't scream in here Jamie!" Denise said, setting up the new hi-tech fan of theirs for the living room. She then proceeded to open all the windows and turn off the unnecessary lights.

Jamie walked to her room and turned off the lights, _'Lights are on in every room it seems!_' The girl then closed the door and went near Kieara's bed and opened the window. Trying to walk over Princess's stupid toys she opened the closet and pulled out some small red shorts and a black short sleeve shirt. She smiled as she stripped down to her undergarments, feeling that this day might end well after all. After getting dressed and brushing her hair she came out and grabbed the lollipops from the fridge.

Kieara waited impatiently before Jamie came back and handed her a chocolate coated vanilla flavored lollipop. The sun had now begun to set on the tallest pine tree across the street, the sky seemed to deepen a darker blue as the orange sunrays blurred on the white clouds flying overhead.

"Deepthroat that popsicle." Jamie quickly commented, watching Kieara hurriedly suck on the brown popsickle. Kieara frowned at her remark before biting off the top, her teeth sinking into the cold ice cream.

"Ooh, that's cold." Jamie said, unwrapping her popsicle.

"What, the popsicle or biting off a d-"

"The second." Jamie quickly commented. "Not very slutty, more on scary." Kieara smiled as she chewed the cold cream down. "Jesus, that's so good." Kieara moaned, watching Mr. Small play patty cake with Princess in the grass.

"Go get Mr. Small one." Jamie demanded.

"Nope, you do it." Kieara compromised. "Or better yet, he can go get it himself." Jamie nodded before walking away from her. "Fine, I'll go do it!" Kieara said. Jamie laughed as she turned to her younger sister. "Screw him, I change my mind he doesn't need one."

After the girls finished their ice cream they decided to go ahead and wrestle. Princess decided to ditch Mr. Small and join in. Princess constantly kept trying to convince him to wrestle, which he refused until Jamie told him she'd punch Princess if he didn't. Well it was a Two on One, and Kieara played a little rough. Mr. Small was left with a bruised ankle, but a smile on his face as they laughed away at Kieara trying to attack Mr. Small.

She calmed down and called a truce before giving up and relaxing on the grass. Mr. Small left the girls alone before grabbing a coffee from Denise who watched in the doorway the entire time. They talked for a while until they realized the TV wasn't working. The girls came inside and watched him try and fix whatever the problem was. By that time, Night had fallen and the clock struck at 8 p.m. The room had darkened, lit by a lamp in the back and the constant flashing of the television set.

"Alright, its working now." Kieara said, sitting on the couch. She purposely sat next to Denise, in which the mother glared at her. "Since when do you sit next to me, scoot over there." Denise demanded, in which she did unwillingly, leaving a Big area for Mr. Small. He left the Television and sat in the area she cleared out for him.

"Thank you." He quickly said, flopping down on the white couch. Denise sitting on his left, and the girls on his right. Jamie got up and motioned for Kieara to switch. The girl sighed before scooting to the side, letting Jamie sit next to Mr. Small.

"Mom, open a window will yah!" Jamie whined.

"The windows are open!" Denise shouted from around Mr. Small's chest. The cloud man didn't try and think about how interesting her position was. The movie started and family with Mr. Small watched away. Surprisingly Jamie didn't whine or make any annoying commentary.

**-The Watterson's House, 8:13pm—**

"Oh my God, for the last time, Amerika isn't a word!" Nicole whined.

"And isn't that a name anyways?" Anais asked. "Against the rules."

"You see, this is why I can't stand these brainer games!" Darwin cried, with Gumball patting him on the head. Gumball, Richard, and Darwin were losing to Anais and Nicole. The game Scrabble seemed so easy for them they might as well just forfeit in boredom.

"Please try honey, actually think about it, and save big words for the red boxes okay, those are the most points." Nicole said, sipping her apple juice. (I haven't played in a while red is called the Three Point Square or something?) Nicole then noted the fact that Richard and Gumball specifically had used up all the red spots by using words like Dog and Cook, instead of big words to extend the words down to the blue boxes and gain more points.

"Fine, here!" Gumball said, placing down the word '_rim_'.

"Definition; Area or edge of a curve, for example; Outer '_Rim_' of the Milky Way, there." Darwin noted, looking it up in the dictionary. Despite Darwin not being that smart he was great at looking up words in the dictionary. Darwin high fived Gumball before Nicole rolled her eyes and wrote down a point for their team.

"Go Anais." Nicole said.

"Alright, I don't have much, so I'm just going to go with the word _'Cum'_." Anais said, placing her pieces down. Nicole and Richard's eyes popped at this before staring at her. Gumball grinned, knowing that word to be familiar but couldn't recall and Darwin had no clue so they just went along with it.

"Um….Anais?" Nicole asked, "Is that a word?"

"It should be Mom, you of all people should know what that is." Anais said casually. But she looked over at her confused Mother and obviously humored Father who was holding back laughter. Anais grinned and then decided to define it.

"_Cum_; Latin Origin, it's a word used more in older non useful British English that can be a conjugation to imply; _when, because _or _although_." Anais explained. Nicole then made a "Oooh" with her lips and then turned back to the board.

"I thought you would've known what that is, since you studied old-time British English in school for acting classes." Anais added, not trying to sound disrespectful. Darwin then looked up the word and exclaimed; "I found it!"

Gumball and Anais indifferently looked over at him, clearly a little more focused in something else.

"It's also an Americanism, means….when a Male's organ makes an ejacu-"

"OH YEAH, NOW I RE-" Gumball cried but Nicole cut him off.

"ALRIGHT, YOUR TURN!" Nicole cheered, purposely. Anais and Gumball looked over at the somewhat stunned Darwin before the fish sighed and put the book down. Nicole quickly glanced at Richard who looked like he was going to die of laughter.

"Alright….I think I got a long word here!" Darwin cheered.

**-Jamie's House—**

"Well that was an interesting film, the sequel is coming on in a second." Mr. Small noted. Though Princess had fallen asleep, Jamie had made herself more comfortable in Mr. Small's arms, but still felt a little odd to do so. Kieara felt isolated the entire time, and had a hard time staying comfortable.

"Let's watch it, aint got much else to do." Kieara said, reaching over and grabbing another slice of pizza. The phone then rung, luckily the portable phone was right next to the pizza box. Mr. Small picked it up, nobody else made an effort too.

"Hello?" Mr. Small said, feeling Denise relax in her arms.

"Whose this?" A voice said on the other side.

"Uh, well this is the residence of-"

"Is the owner of this house a woman called Denise?" The voice said, cutting Mr. Small off. The cloud man grinned at his rudeness and quickness before complying. "Yes this is in fact the household owned by Denise, I presume you know her?" Mr. Small asked, noting his businessman like voice, but sounded mature and well stable. Like a very calm and successful rich man.

Jamie and Kieara didn't pay much mind but Denise groaned, "It's probably my Mortgage agent, tell him I'm not here." Denise said, casually and not even trying to keep her voice down. Mr. Small nodded before listening to this man.

"Is Denise there?" He asked.

"Um, no she's not here right now." Mr. Small said.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"A friend, and you?"

"….A friend." He replied, with a sense of humor. Mr. Small chuckled at this before Denise looked at him oddly. "Whats taking so long, tell Mark to beat it." Jamie and Kieara looked over at Mr. Small, unsure as to why he was taking so long as well.

"You're a funny guy, _'friend'_, but I guess you won't bother to identify yourself." Mr. Small said, leaning back. "But your name is Mark, right?"

"Nope. That's her Mortgage Agent." He said on the other line, with a chuckle.

"That is in fact her insurance agent." Mr. Small said, purposely outloud so that Denise would have a good idea of what's going on.

"Actually tell her, when you remember she's sitting next you, that I have something important."

"Oh….." Mr. Small then made a weird expression and looked at Denise. He handed the phone to her and the woman sighed at his inability to hang it up.

"Look sir, hurry it up, I have something to do." Denise demanded.

"I know, I know, I wasn't trying to interrupt." The man said on the other side. Denise didn't get the joke and continued to blast him. "Look here telemarketer, you better find another house to-"

"HARASS!" Darwin shouted, placing the words down on the board. Everyone clapped at this, since this was quite possibly the longest word their team had even used. The fish goofily placed them down on the board before announcing the meaning.

"_Harass;_ the action of constant unwanted pestering! For example, Gumball harasses Jamie quite often!" Darwin said, gaining laughter from everyone at the table, but Gumball. He somewhat aggressively punched Darwin in the arm, but the fish didn't mind. "I love you too buddy!" Darwin joked.

"Well, write the points down Mom." Gumball said.

"Heh, O-Okay!" Nicole said, snickering as she wrote down the points. Anais then pulled out her blocks and looked at Darwin. "Thanks Darwin, that's just what I needed.

"Harass-MENT!" Anais said, adding M,E,N,T, to the end of the word. It stretched down long enough to reach the Double Point Space block. Anais then looked at the slightly interested Nicole. "Tally it, and multiply times two."

"Don't _harass_ me about it, Jesus!" Nicole said, before writing it down and making Darwin a little mad. Richard then coughed, gaining everyone's attention. "Well, I think I have something up-"

"Up my sleeve." The voice on the phone said. Denise was confused before rolling her eyes. "What kinda sales tactic are we talking here, I've heard everything."

"Oh lets be real, you know who I am, I wanted to call in when I found out the truth." The man said, sounding concerned in a fake way.

"Wait…no you can't be." Denise whispered to herself. Jamie and Kieara then looked over at their mother, interested now.

"I mean, I didn't even see Princess." The man added, "And is it true, the oldest has got a boyfriend?" Denis cringed as she immediately got up and ran to the backyard, yanking the door open and forgetting to close it.

Jamie and Kieara looked over at the yanked open door before back at Mr. Small, who seemed to be unsure of what to do. "Who did you talk to?" Jamie asked. Mr. Small shrugged. "He didn't tell me anything, he just said he was a friend."

Jamie and Kieara shrugged and jumped up from the couch, sneaking over to the backdoor. "Hey, get away from there!" Mr. Small ordered. Kieara angrily motioned for him to sssssh! Mr. Small was about to yank them away but couldn't bring himself to do so, they somewhat seemed to know what they're doing.

"You're not going to see them!" Denise said, holding her head in her hand.

"I'm not trying to see them, I just wanted to talk business for a second."

"H-How did you know this?" Denise asked, quickly looking over at the two snooping kids. They seemed concerned for her, and Denise looked at them for a second before turning away. "You're still in Elmore?!"

"Well of course, I was only in Rehab for a year, I even got my job back." The voice said, with a hint of smugness in his voice. Denise was disgusted with the person, knowing exactly who he was, and he spoke like nothing had happened.

"LISTEN! You don't come around here, EVER!" Denise ordered.

"I might have to if you stop listening."

"Look, you can't see them, I have custody, remember!" Denise shouted. Kieara didn't know whats going on but Jamie's mind clicked when she heard the word _'custody'_. Jamie looked over at her sister before pulling her away, a little confused.

"Kieara, she said _custody_!" Jamie flipped.

"So, what does that mean?" Kieara asked. Jamie looked over at the confused Mr. Small, then turned back to Kieara and whispered. Kieara's eyes grew in shock as she heard the answer.

"Its…."

"FATHER!" Richard shouted, placing down the letters to make the word. Nicole and Anais nodded, impressed he finally came up with something. "I think I deserve triple points." Richard said, with Gumball and Darwin folding their arms and acting smug.

"That's not how it works but seeing as how you barely have any points I'll multiply it times 3x." Anais said, writing it down on the paper. Nicole looked at her watch before realizing it was nearly ten o' clock. "Oops, I've overdone my stay!" Nicole joked before getting up and going to the kitchen.

"I have to deliver these groceries before they go bad, I'll be back in a jiffy, shouldn't take me longer than thirty minutes." Nicole said from the kitchen. Her family didn't seem to mind as they played on anyways.

"Richard, be a dear and help with the bags." Nicole said, going to the door with five bags in her hands.

"But I'm playing!" Richard whined.

"You just played, let Anais go ahead." Nicole said, "Get the groceries, I'm in the car." The woman then walked out the door as Richard sighed and got up, cracking his back before going to the kitchen. Gumball, Darwin, and Anais played on.

"Ugh, I'm bored." Gumball said, giving up.

"Yeah, me too." Darwin replied.

"I expected as much." Anais commented, watching her father carry a bunch of bags out the front door. The little rabbit then realized what time it was and shrugged. "The Olympics is on, you want to watch that?"

"Yeah sure." Gumball sighed, already putting his pieces in the bag.

"I hate watching the swimming part." Darwin commented, gaining the attention of his siblings. "The swimmers always swim so slow, usually monkeys and non-water creatures, there's never any fishes there unless they're from Africa or Australia."

"Eh, well we can send you over to London is it makes you feel better." Gumball joked as he placed the board in the box and walked away with it. Richard came back and closed the door, hearing the family car drive away. "What happened to the game?" He asked.

"We quit, we're going to watch the Olympics." Anais told him, jumping off her high chair. Gumball and Darwin jumped on the couch, turning on the television and leaning back. Richard nodded before yawning. "I'm going to bed, don't wreck anything until your Mom gets back."

"This isn't really how I planned the meeting to be, but I'm glad that at the very least you're not drunk."

"Listening to you asshole makes me want to be!" Denise said, noticing her kids staring at her before realizing they had been caught and ran back inside. "Please, look whatever happened in the past I'm trying to ignore."

"YOU AND I BOTH!" Denise cried before wiping the sweat off her forehead. "What do you want, make it fast!"

"I'm not trying to ruin your life, but I still have a part in the house you own." The man said, trying to make her understand.

"NO YOU DON'T! You said it yourself….if I let you…..do what you did, you'd give the house to me!" Denise said, not trying to think back to that. "Why are you doing this to me, why can't you just go!"

"I'm trying to, you think I like this?" The man said, sounding a little frustrated.

"You always sound innocent, until you actually touch us!" Denise scowled. "I've been on the phone for way to long, speak your last words, asshole!"

"Look, you'll be hearing from me a lot more now. I don't know who that man was who picked up earlier, but for us to finally be separate, we'll legally have to do this, I can't just make promises!"

"What!? You said it yourself, if I let you do all those things to m-"

"Stop bringing that up, I'm sorry, I was young and stupid!"

"You're stupid, and you sure as hell weren't young!" Denise said, feeling tears form in her eyes but she held them down. "You're the reason why our family has problems today, fuck the legal system, you're not coming back here."

"Well, I told you ahead of time, don't be surprised." He said, composing himself.

"Fuck you man…" Denise muttered before looking at the now empty doorway. "Please, just please I beg you not to come back." She heard a sigh on the other side. "I'll try and see if I can do it all on the phone but.."

"No, just, don't do anything please." Denise cried.

"Not happening, now you either make this quick or we'll have to do this for a long time." He said sternly.

"Make it quick or we'll do it for a long time….….those are the same words you told me, the ones that caused Princess to be born." She whispered to him. "You ruined everyone's life!" Her anger was defiantly building up, she felt herself losing her strength and wasn't going to put up for it.

"Will you stop it with that, I didn't know what I was doing."

"And you call yourself a man? Doing that to me? In front of my kids! An-"

"They're my kids as well, Denise, stop pushing me away."

"No FUCK YOU!" Denise screamed, feeling a layer of the portable phone crack. "YOU DIDN'T DO SHIT!"

"I gave them a house!" The man screamed.

"And it cost me my privates! My dignity! And a fat fucking loan, you just didn't buy it, you didn't give them anything!" Denise cried before realizing she had to hang up, and pray he wouldn't call again. "All I have you say you dumbass, is that if I ever see you or your friends come buy again….I'll shoot you, no matter what!"

"Denise pl-" The woman hung up and threw the phone to the ground. She stumbled for a second before refusing to go back inside. "I need a drink, I need a drink!" Jamie and Kieara had heard enough before Kieara took it to herself to get Mr. Small out.

"Small, you need to get out." Kieara demanded, rushing to the front door and opening it. The cloud man had heard some of the conversation, but didn't see why he had to get out. He didn't know who she was talking to.

"Wait a minute now, why should I leave?" Mr. Small asked.

"It's family business, and last time I checked you're not part of the family." Kieara said coldly, overrun with emotions to care about formalities. Mr. Small got up and slowly walked towards the door, waking up Princess for a brief moment. "Look, stop trying to push me away. Let me just see wh-"

"Steve, get out!" Jamie shouted from behind him. Mr. Small turned around in confusion, unaware Jamie would even saw that. "Wait….what did I do?"

"You've overstayed your welcome, you need to get out, NOW!" Jamie said, not caring for Mr. Small's opinions on the matter. The cloud man felt pressured, and deeply hurt that he was being told to leave. Kieara and Jamie were apparently mad at him for something. Mr. Small sighed as he closed his eyes and walked out the door. Kieara slammed it harshly before looking over at Jamie.

"I told you idiot, Small was nothing but trouble!" Kieara insulted.

"It doesn't mean it's his fault, but he surely fucked it up, Mom should've answered instead of listening to his stupid answers." Jamie said coldly before grabbing Kieara and approaching Princess. Mr. Small had listened from behind the door, feeling a sharp pain in his heart_. 'They all think whatever happened is my fault, dammit!' _He thought.

'_Good job Small, you just about lost your only chance at a family.'_ He thought angrily, approaching his car and snatching the door open. He grumbled to himself angrily, unable to think clearly. He sat down and rested his irritated head on the stirring wheel, knowing he would be unable to drive in this heat after that devastation.

"This couldn't possibly get any worse." Mr. Small said, pulling out the water bottle inside the arm rest.

Nicole's car pulled up beside Mr. Small's, illegally parking in the street, the cat was a little confused on whose car it was. She couldn't see who was in the car and knowing this neighborhood it wasn't a good idea to go snooping in cars. She got out and grabbed the grocery bags, getting them all at once so she wouldn't have to make double trips.

"Damn, I'm getting tired." Nicole thought, the orange street light flashing on her in the dark neighborhood as she listened to the crickets chirp away and unrecognizable sounds of people talking. She walked up the cement pathway and placed the groceries down, then she knocked before immediately clinching the odd cramp in her stomach.

"Woah!" Nicole said, clinching painfully as she knocked again. "I know for a fact that they're not asleep." She said to herself, stretching the cramp out. Kieara and Jamie immediately noticed this knocking and knew who it was.

"Father." They both said as they rushed to their mother's bedroom. Denise was totally oblivious and was drinking some strong alcohol, trying to drain away what she heard. "It's nothing to worry about, just a prank call!" Denise told herself, downing some more.

Nicole knocked even harder this time before trying to open the door. "These people man, maybe they really are asleep?" Jamie and Kieara rushed back to the doorway, Jamie stood some feet away from it while Kieara was prepared to open it.

"The knocking stopped, go ahead and jump back!" Jamie said, pulling out the 9mm gun her mother hid underneath her bed. Kieara nodded. "Blast his head off and run!" The younger daughter then quickly unlocked and swung the door open.

"Oh thank God someone answered the DOOOOOOR!" Nicole screamed, raising her hands up when seeing the gun Jamie was holding. The girl immediately pushed down on the trigger but failed to get it to budge.

"WAIT JAMIE!" Kieara screamed.

"Holy shit!" Jamie said, dropping the weapon on the ground. Nicole had been scared to death before realizing what Jamie had done. She immediately ran over and picked the gun up from her feet, pulling it out of Jamie's reach. The girl attempted to get it back but knew her height is outmatched.

"THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU! IS THIS HOW YOUR NORMALLY GREAT PEOPLE!" Nicole screamed at her.

"Oh my God….its…..just you….well at Ten or eleven something at night, yeah." Jamie said, relieved it was just Nicole. The mother then pointed behind her. "Go get the bags." Nicole said, a little irritated that she had been scared. Nicole kept inhaling, feeling like her heart nearly jumped out her mouth. Jamie didn't know why she listened but instinctively went over and grabbed the bags.

"Mrs. Watterson you can't stay here." Kieara demanded.

"Oh? Well you pulled that gun on me you better be happy I don't get you arrested!" Nicole shouted at the little girl before glancing over at the somewhat embarrassed Jamie. She then inspected the weapon before laughing to herself.

"You didn't flick off the safety, no surprise you didn't shoot." Nicole told her with a smile, before turning to a threating glare. "If you had I would've been on the ground, dead!" Jamie let out an embarrassed laugh but didn't really focus so much on it before grabbing the bags and running to the kitchen.

'_What is going on here?_' Nicole thought, _'They pull a gun and try and shoot, they're trying to get me to leave too.' T_he cat thought, walking into the room to the disapproval of Kieara. "You have to leave, this is none of your business."

"Your sister over there just tried to shoot me, I just received a self-invitation." Nicole quirked, approaching the backdoor. Kieara glared at Jamie before the older sister shot her an irritated frown, "You didn't tell me not to do it, so you're no better."

Nicole swiftly approached the backyard before spotting Denise who was turned the other way. The cat suddenly became hesitant, as Denise hadn't noticed her yet. _'She seems out of it._' Nicole thought, quickly observing the disturbed mother.

"Denise, I uh-"

"MOM, Mrs. Watterson barged in!" Kieara shouted, glaring at the blue mother. Nicole rolled her eyes before slowly approaching her friend. Kieara and Jamie worriedly looked at their mother, secretly hoping Nicole could knock some sense into her. Denise quickly noticed the approaching friend before eyeing her suspiciously.

"Wait a minute, back off!" Denise warned.

"Back off? What's up?" Nicole asked, purposely trying to sound casual. Denise quickly placed down her glass before backing up a bit, towards the picketed fence. Due to the darkness, Nicole couldn't see the glass at first but the light inside the house shined outside the window and revealed the beverage. The cat looked over for a second before back up.

"Jack Daniels?" Nicole asked, observing the color and smell. "You've been drinking again, haven't you?" Jamie and Kieara then noticed the alcohol themselves, unsure she still had some. However, everyone snapped out of it when Denise let out a chuckle, still backing up.

"I always keep a set, just in case." Denise taunted.

"Just in case? Sounds like a threat, what's going on?" Nicole asked, yet again. Nicole found her backing up suspicious, but she assumed that in her intoxicated mind she forgot a fence was there. "What do you mean Nicole?" Denise asked, frowning. "You're the intruder, trying to get me huh?"

"Get you for what?" Nicole asked, slowing down in her advancing. "I just came to deliver the groceries." Denise had a little grin before feeling the fence smack on her, unable to back up any further. Nicole immediately stopped, aware that Denise could try and attack unless she left a considerable amount of space between them.

"Can't go any further, c'mon, sit down and talk to me." Nicole offered, before nodding over at the table. "We could both have a drink." Denise let out a pitiful laugh. "That's your offer? The thing you just said I shouldn't be drinking, that_ Man _should've taught you better." Nicole threw her arms in the air, "Whatever girl, I'm just trying to figure out what's going on."

"Who asked you!" Denise shouted, "You said you were here to drop the groceries off, idiot!"

"For one, you don't have to call me an idiot and secondly your daughters just tried to shoot me." Nicole said, a little mad. Denise then looked down at her kids, unaware of them until she mentioned them.

"Shoot? I didn't hear a shot, how'd you miss!" Denise spat. "Just aim the damn thing and blow her head off." Nicole nodded the entire time hearing this, convinced she was drunk. "Okay, and now it's time to sit down and talk." Jamie and Kieara didn't know how to react to the fact that their mother advocated to kill Nicole, even for her standards that's weird. "Nicole!" Jamie whispered loudly. The mother slowly titled her head in Jamie's direction, not taking her eyes off the drunk. "What's up?"

"Pow, in the head!" Jamie said, before receiving a nudge from her sister. "Stop it, we can't do that!"

Nicole understood the message, luckily Denise didn't even notice her daughter say anything. Nicole then heard another chuckle from Denise as she began to move sideways, towards the cross section of the wall. Nicole knew it wasn't appropriate but she found it humorous how Denise so slowly moved on the wall, as if she was trying to be a secret agent or something.

"I'm not in the mood for a game of tag." Nicole said, accidentally letting a chuckle out.

"Then why are you following me? Bitch." Denise said. Nicole didn't take to fondly of being cussed at but she understood the circumstances and put up with it. "Where are you going, there is nothing over there!" Nicole said, before looking at the kids.

"Go call the police, NOW!" Nicole said before looking over at Denise. She noticed Denise's eyes widen before bending over and turning around, Nicole watched her carefully before hearing gagging noises.

"ARRACK!"

"Ew, you're throwing up!" Nicole complained, unable to see anything in the dark. Nicole had to be sure however and looked closely, before noticing that she wasn't puking at all, just coughing.

"Never mind…." Nicole said, walking beside the bent over chocking mother. "Get up, you're making a fool of yourself." Nicole groaned, noticing her kids were still watching her from the doorway. " *Cough*, Heh, you think you can just insult me and get away with it?!"

"We're friends, isn't that what we always do?" Nicole asked, "Don't we always take shots at each other?" Denise laughed before nodding and reaching down in the dark, Nicole was oblivious to what she was doing.

"Speaking of shots, here's a good one." Denise groaned before jumping up. ***POW*** Nicole had no time to react before feeling her head twist back and her legs collapse. Her eyes were shut as she landed on the floor, her cheek flattened. As Nicole instinctively raised a hand to her cheek to feel the incredible amount of pain in her left jaw, she looked up at Denise. The mother was smiling, holding a medal pipe.

"Damn…" Nicole muttered, flickering her eyes and rubbing her cheek. "You knocked me on my butt!" Denise smirked, stumbling a bit. Nicole immediately noticed this but pretended to look away. "You hit me with a pipe?"

"Yeah, you shouldn't have followed me, so who's the stupid ass now?" Denise asked, patting the pole on her opposite hand. Nicole shook her head, trying to regain her senses. _'I didn't say that, stupid-ass!'_ She thought before slowly backing up, but Denise followed her.

"It's not so much fun when a friend hurts someone like that." Denise said, obviously referencing something Nicole did. The cat frowned. "I didn't do anything wrong!" Denise nodded before looking over at her freaked out and astonished children.

"You're telling me that siding with their father and trying to get us isn't cruel?" Denise asked, putting the pipe to her side. "Look Denise, I don't know anything about their father! What the hell are you talking about!" Nicole shot, before Denise rolled her eyes and swung at her again. Nicole quickly put up her hands but missed grabbing the pole as Denise smacked the underneath of her arms.

"SHIT!" Nicole cried, feeling her arms shoot up in the wrong direction. Nicole quickly pulled them into her body, shielding them from any more swings. Denise however didn't stop and swung at her legs, poorly however as the pole scrapped on the ground, shooting sparks before hitting Nicole's right leg.

"STOP IT!" Nicole cried angrily, reaching for her legs. Denise looked over at her kids, which to her resembled slightly blurry figures. "Get the gun, I'll send her body back to your daddy!" Denise said, aiming at Nicole's head this time. She swung her arms back like a baseball bat, ready to bust her head open.

"You're no friend of mine!" Denise spat. Right before she swung, Nicole noticed what she had in mind and let her bruised leg go. Denise swung, but Nicole laid back on the ground, the poll managed to hit the tip of her chin, but Denise was under the impression she missed. Nicole collapsed, laying on her back in pain. She however didn't take her eye off that poll as Denise arched up and swung down like a hammer.

'_I GOT HER!'_ Nicole thought, reaching up and catching the poll on its way down. Denise was stunned, forgetting that Nicole was rather quick, even while bruised and damaged. Nicole was glad she caught it, but didn't have time to rejoice, noticing that Denise wasn't letting go.

"BYE!" Nicole shouted, rolling in a ball and pulling Denise into her. "HEY!" The woman cried before Nicole pulled up her feet and shoved them into her stomach, knocking Denise away from her. The woman stumbled before falling over and crashing on the fence. Nicole slowly got up, feeling a sharp pain in the shin of her right leg. She tossed the poll over the fence and looked over harshly at her intoxicated friend.

The lights in other houses started to flicker on and the noises of dogs barking started in mass. Nicole looked around at the silhouette houses before down at the barely visible and irritated Denise. "Listen here you silly bitch!" Nicole shouted, almost unrecognizable to her but the woman hadn't been put in such a situation in a long time."I haven't said shit to you, and I didn't help your damn husband!"

Denise flinched at those words before getting up and and stumbling towards her. "Husband! Fuck no, he's your pimp! Congratulations! You managed to find a man worse than your own Richa-"

***POW***

Nicole swiftly and harshly popped her right in the jaw, enraged as Denise flipped back and fell on her butt. Nicole wasn't having any of it though, and planned to finish this.

"I almost feel sorry that you mentioned my husband!" Nicole shouted, grabbing her by the horn and lifting her to eye level. Nicole swung again and clocked her in the temple, disorienting Denise as she flipped back. Jamie and Kieara hadn't really reacted on anything, but Kieara felt a need to help her mother so she planned to run but Jamie held her back.

"Let Gumball's Mom deal with it." Jamie told her, trying not to care that her mother had been punched.

"She's beating the shit out of our Mom!" Kieara whispered.

"Let her deal with it." Jamie said, wishing Nicole would just knock her out.

Nicole did a hook to her chin, gaining an uncomfortable look on Denise's face. The woman was already just about knocked out, she couldn't feel anything else. "Next time you try and start shit with me, hitting me with a poll and saying I'm trying to capture you…" Nicole said, a little happier yet still enraged as she pulled Denise's head down and slammed it against her knee.

"Shit." Denise quietly muttered. Nicole didn't hear it as she lifted her head, planning to end it here. Nicole cocked back and slammed her fists into the sides of her head, causing Denise to collapse on the ground, losing all consciousness.

"….The next time…" Nicole muttered, breathing as she looked down at the unconscious mother. Nicole knew she couldn't hear her, but she had felt so betrayed. "….Next time….next time you damn cu-" Nicole then remembered that her daughters were watching her still. "….Uh…..I'll uh…. I'll take that damn bottle and smash it across your face!" Nicole shouted, feeling goofy and unsatisfied with that ending.

Nicole then looked at a neutral Jamie, who was clearly trying not to look weak here, and Kieara who had been staring at the ground, not wanting to look. Nicole felt guilty but knew it had to be done. She reached down and pulled the woman over her shoulder.

"She's knocked out." Nicole said, quietly. Jamie nodded as Kieara continued to watch Nicole carefully. The cat noticed this and walked up to the little heir of Denise. "Look, I know you don't trust anyone, but you need to communicate more, I'm tired of you ignoring me when I try to talk with you and then trying to insult me when its convenient." Nicole said sternly, but personally just wanted to get that out.

"Whatever, don't take it personally." Kieara said quietly.

"I'm not, but your Mom is drunk and you guys are pulling guns, I didn't need your rebellious attitude. I know you do this with most adults, but personally I'm tired of it." Nicole said, pulling her mother inside. Jamie glared at Kieara before following Nicole inside, Kieara unwillingly followed.

"Listen kids, I need you to put your sister in your room and you guys go to sleep." Nicole demanded.

"Where are you taking Mom?" Kieara asked, a little bitterly. "To the police station?" Nicole shook her head. "Of course not, I'm taking her to her bedroom." Jamie and Kieara nodded, immediately understanding. "Makes sense, she's drunk so she'll just shrug it off when she thinks nothing happened." Kieara said.

"True, but how do you explain the bruises when she wakes up?" Jamie asked, watching Nicole placed their mother in the bed. With the lights on they could see the bruises both on Nicole and Denise but Denise had them on her face mainly.

"This day turned out awful." Kieara muttered to herself. "It was supposed to be a nice movie night, until he called." Jamie then turned to her sister before patting her on the shoulder. "It's okay, he'll leave us alone, he can't seriously come back and expect not to face any problems."

Nicole had been listening the entire time as she changed Denise into her nightgown and placed her underneath the covers. The mother was fascinated with the conversation, so many clues leading up to this mystery _'dad'_ of theirs.

"So….which one of you are going to tell me about this father of yours?" Nicole asked. Jamie shook her head, Kieara not even hesitating to say _no._ "No way, we can't trust you." Kieara said. Nicole rolled her eyes, dismissing it as more of her sensitive, useless, always stupid attitude.

"Sure, you can't trust me." Nicole said, motioning for the kids to leave the bedroom. Nicole gave Denise a kiss on the forehead, even to the surprise of Nicole herself. The mother then left the bedroom to attend the children in need.

"Look, go to bed." Nicole said, a little tired herself. "I've overdone my stay here and my family is sure to be worried about me." The two kids nodded, before watching Nicole pick up the gun she earlier placed on the table. "Such a weapon can't be trusted with this family." Nicole said, grabbing her purse and storing it in there. "I'll give it back once I can confirm your mother is back to normal."

"Hey, now wait a minute." Jamie shot, "We need that weapon, and its ours."

"It's your mothers, who clearly didn't place it in an area where you couldn't reach it. Also, you don't need it." Nicole said, walking to the backyard once again. The kids following her like a magnate. "Nobody is coming for you or your family, no matter what stupid phone call prank you received."

"You don't understand." Jamie warned, feeling a little scared herself. "He's our Dad, he will come for us, or at least trick someone or do something!" Nicole looked up at them, and though they tried to hide it, they were clearly scared.

'_If someone has a suspicion, they go out and look. If someone has experience, they'd shoot to kill.'_ Nicole thought, knowing a gun was a little overboard for Jamie and Kieara unless they seriously saw some type of threat. But she couldn't leave them here alone, even if she believed no one was coming as they might actually get it right this time and kill someone. Maybe she would sleep here.

"Jamie, you're trembling." Nicole said, astonished.

"W-Wha? No I'm not!" Jamie said, acting confused. The girl didn't like this so she shook her head before quickly walking out. "I'm going to go get a drink." Nicole watched her leave before noticing Kieara had chosen to stay and stare her down. Nicole didn't break eye contact as she grabbed the alcohol and walked back inside, finally turning away.

"We need that weapon." Kieara said, following her.

"Nothing will happen to you." Nicole said, feeling more and more uncomfortable about leaving the kids here.

"How do you know?" Kieara asked. "You don't even know what's going on, and I won't tell you."

"How comical can you get?" Nicole laughed to herself. "You want me to believe there's a problem but you can't even tell me?" She said, grabbing the groceries she earlier brought in and put them on the table. "You ignore me or don't act honestly, and you expect me to make the situation better? I don't know the situation I'm supposed to save you from."

"I told you, Father, Killing us." Kieara said, emphasizing the last words.

"He won't kill you, do you even know where he is?" Nicole asked, "Denise is single, she's been that way for a long time." Kieara shrugged, watching the mother put the groceries in the fridge. "No we don't, but he wouldn't have called us if he wasn't near."

"You don't know that." Nicole said, placing the milk in the far back of the refrigerator. Kieara was getting angry at her comments, dismissing everything she said despite having no clue what's going on.

"We don't try and shoot people for fun! If you're going to take the gun away, we'll just use a knife instead!" Kieara angrily said. Nicole seemed to stop doing what she was doing but hadn't turned around. Kieara shook her head before walking away. Nicole was too busy enjoying the cool air from the fridge while considering the alternatives.

'_Again, nobody pulls a gun unless they see some considerable danger.'_ Nicole thought before getting up and peaking at the three girls, Princess still asleep, the rest were bummed on the couch. _'It wouldn't be appropriate to leave three helpless kids in a suggestive environment…I guess I could bring them back home.'_ Nicole sighed before resuming with the grocery situation, stuffing more food in their respective areas before finishing and throwing the plastic bags in the trash. She walked to the living room and stood in front of the two awake kids, both of them looked at her uneasily.

"Look, I'm not giving you the weapon back, but if you want, I'll let you guys come home with me." Nicole offered.

"Come home with you?" Kieara asked, humored and in disbelief. "We don't need your help, we just need the gun." Nicole nodded, with a little grin. "You can't shoot, you've established that already." Jamie then got up. "While I'd enjoy going home with you, we're not going to run away."

"You always look at it wrong, running is running, it's not being smart, and being smart isn't the same as staying In a place of danger. You'd shoot yourself in the foot before shooting someone else, and your mother is knocked out? It'd be better if I could keep my eye on you at all times." Nicole said, pulling her car keys out and dangling them in front of the kids. Princess's eyes fluttered open to the sound of the keys.

"Consider it running if you will, but you can either stay here or come with me." Nicole said, before turning around and walking to the door. Jamie rolled her eyes, knowing without a doubt that they'd fair better with Nicole. "I'd go, but we're not going to leave without our Mom." Jamie said, hinting that she should take her along. Kieara didn't like the idea of leaving but she just listened to her older sister.

"Fine, I'll bring her along." Nicole said, a little worried and yet excited at the same time. She walked back to her room, with the three kids following, although Princess didn't really understand what was going on.

"Go to the car, I'll be down with your mother in a second." Nicole said, walking into the bedroom and turning on the lights. "Shit, you're heavy."

**-In front of the Watterson's House, 11:34pm—**

"Alright, get out." Nicole announced, stepping out into the cool night air. She smiled, glad the heat finally wore off as Jamie, Kieara and a sleepy Princess wobbled out the car's backseats. As the dogs made an occasional bark and the cars from a far drove by, Nicole hustled in pulling the unconscious mother out the front seat.

"Ooh, new light poll." Jamie commented, looking at its bright white glow. Nicole didn't hear as she carried the mother on her back, cringing in pain as she kicked the door closed. "I'm too old for this!" Nicole mustered as she stumbled down the darkened concrete pathway. She snagged her keys out her purse, trying not to drop Denise as she got to the door.

"The family should be asleep, don't worry about disturbing them." Nicole said as she opened the door. To her surprise both Gumball and Darwin were sitting on the couch, watching television. Gumball hadn't noticed the girls yet but mustered an indifferent wave before leaning over to Darwin.

"Do you think you can swim faster than Michael Phelps?" Gumball asked, watching intensely at the screen. Darwin shrugged. "He's not a fish, so maybe, he's pretty fast for his kind however." Darwin said before watching another racer. "What about the newbie, Lockte?" Gumball asked, curious if Darwin would ever say 'yes.' "No, still couldn't, he's just as fast as Phelps, but did you see how fast that one Chinese girl swam!" Darwin said, remembering who she was. "They think she's doping, I think she's just half fish."

"What are you kids still doing up?" Nicole asked, but the two ignored her.

"No, she's normal. You know how they train Olympians in China right? It's crazy, like they start at our age in these camps, they're crying and everything, shouldn't that be illegal?"

"Not if it makes you swim like a fish, I also hate the fact that fishes can't compete in swimming." Darwin puffed before looking over at Nicole. Following her was the three sisters, to the surprise of the two children. "What are you doing here, Kieara?" Darwin asked. The little sister turned to Jamie. "See, told you Darwin liked me."

"He just knows you more, don't kid yourself." Jamie whispered as she uncomfortably walked inside. Gumball stared at her before smirking. "Where do you think you're going?" Jamie immediately stopped, losing her two uncomfortable sisters before scratching her head. "Something wrong?"

"Um, yeah, sit over here!" Gumball whined, Jamie immediately exhaled. This entire thing felt weird and she didn't like being forced to come to a house because she's scared. But at the same time, she felt a lot safer, her father probably didn't know about the Wattersons. Not yet.

"Gumball get off, the girls are sleeping on the couch." Nicole announced, unsure of where to put Denise. Obviously it had to be respectful and not somewhere goofy. "Wait, there's an old bed in the attic." Nicole said to herself as she lifted Denise up the stairs.

The three girls walked over to the couch which the two boys occupied. While Kieara and Darwin looked at each other oddly, both Jamie and Gumball looked at each other with incredible desire. The cat didn't even bother to wait, excusing himself from the couch and intercepting the girl. Standing in her face, something he did commonly when wanting to kiss. Jamie was worried and scared, but felt more confident and energetic when Gumball stood in front of her. Both Kieara and Darwin looked at them oddly before ignoring it and Princess looked like she was about to collapse.

Gumball didn't say a word but grabbed her two hands with his own, before popping his eyes brows at her. "What are you doing here?" Gumball whispered. Jamie shrugged, "A little problem, nothing you can't handle." Gumball grinned at this statement. "What's the problem?" Jamie chuckled, before playing along. "My mouth is really dry." Gumball cocked a brow. "No water at your house?" The girl laughed before leading him to the kitchen, backing him up on the kitchen counter.

"Actually, now that we're alone, I need you to give me something to drink." Jamie hinted, Gumball was catching on a little.

"Oh, well then I guess you want a _'proper'_?" Gumball asked.

"Hell no, I said '_drink_' means it needs to be _'sloppy'_." Jamie joked before leaning in. Gumball smiled as he leaned in as well. "I really like sloppy with you." Jamie felt his lips collide with hers, as they began their adventure. Feeling a lot of weight relieve her shoulders, now occupied with Gumball's massaging hands. Her tongue swirled on his, giving thanks in any way she could. Gumball's moaned increased as she placed a hand on his chest. Though Gumball was still odd about it, he reacted warmly when Jamie decided to touch him in 'odd' places.

"Lower?" Jamie asked, dropping her hand to his stomach.

"I didn't say anything." Gumball said, kissing her cheek.

"Oh, you want it lower?" Jamie asked lewdly, putting her hand to where his bladder would be.

"I'm sure I didn't say anything." Gumball whispered, hugging her as he licked her nose.

"Oh, now I know exactly where you want it." Jamie grinned, dropping her hand on his crotch. _'Oh crap, she's doing it again._' Gumball thought, squeezing her in even closer as he began to make out with her again. As they exchanged breathes and saliva, Jamie made circular motions with her hand on his crotch.

"Mmm…O-Oh!" Gumball moaned, pulling his hips back as she pushed her hands forwards. Jamie smiled, knowing how far she was going to take it before sucking on his tongue. They both heard a pair of feet walk towards the kitchen, groaning no less as Jamie pulled back and released Gumball. Both a bright blush on their faces as Darwin flicked on the lights.

"Gumball, we have to pull the bed out for the girls to sleep in." Darwin said. Gumball coughed before straightening his collar and pulling his shirt below his crotch in embarrassment. Jamie looked at him humorously but Darwin either didn't get it or didn't really seem to care.

"C'mon, don't sit there!" Darwin said, walking backwards into the living room.

"Do a good job." Jamie chuckled before slapping Gumball's behind, causing the little cat to jump. However he couldn't help but smile at her suddenly joyful mood, a lot better than previously in the day. Gumball walked out the kitchen and assisted Darwin in pulling the bed out of the couch. Jamie with a little smile attended her sisters in watching.

"Don't pull your backs, boys." Jamie teased, getting a quick and humored look from Gumball and a comically questioning look of rhetoric from Darwin. Kieara noticed Jamie's mood and turned to her, whispering to the sister.

"What's so funny? You do realize we have to go back tomorrow." Kieara said.

"Y'know, maybe we were just being paranoid?" Jamie asked, undoubtedly more positive now that she kissed Gumball. "He won't come back, he won't ever come back, it was a prank."

"That prank was pretty specific!" Kieara said, a little more loudly. Gumball and Darwin were carefully listening, despite their quiet talk as they put a blanket on top of the sheet they set up. Jamie rolled her eyes before looking at Kieara. "We're not going to let him bother us, you need to get with the program." Jamie told her. "You're delusional." Kieara mustered back. Jamie angrily turned to her, "Just because you say '_I'm delusional,_ or _'I'm never going to get it'_, doesn't make your point true!"

Gumball and Darwin looked at each other worriedly before finishing up the bed, almost in a sloppy manner. Once finished, they nodded at each other and ran over to the respective girls. Jamie was staring down Kieara before being pushed back by Gumball. "Hey babe!" He clumsily said with a goofy smile.

Jamie stared at him for a second before trying to look over his shoulder at Kieara. "Hey I was talking to h-" Gumball locked lips with her, managing to get her to shut up. Jamie felt his tongue harass hers, still in shock but slowly managed to join with him. Jamie slightly separated her lips from his.

"Ooh, couldn't wait could we?" Jamie whispered.

"Anything to make you happy." Gumball whispered before cupping her cheek and locking lips again.

"Darwin, what are you doing?" Kieara said, swiping her hand away from his. "What's your problem, can't you see I'm talking!" Darwin shuttered at her aggressiveness before making up an excuse. "I didn't want you to….uh….in-interrupt them!" Darwin lied, pointing over to Jamie making out. Kieara stared at her for a second before snarling at Darwin.

"Who the heck cares! They do it all the time!" Kieara screamed at the uncomfortable fish, she took another glance before feeling a little sick in her stomach. "She just does it wherever, whenever, always in front of me…." Kieara said before sighing and looking back at her Watterson sibling counterpart. "….And your older brother always kisses in front of you." She said softly, almost in defeat. Her eyes for some reason stared at the fish's shoes before letting out a sharp sigh. "Doesn't it get annoying sometimes?" She asked. Darwin at first wasn't taking anything she was saying seriously but he then realized that what she's saying was true in his case.

"Yeah I guess." Darwin muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "I guess you just want them to stop?"

"Mmm….sorta, but really its irritating that I can't do it." Kieara whined before painfully taking another glance at them. "Do those fuckers ever come up for air?"

"Heh, no, Gumball has gotten better at holding his breath and breathing through his nose." Darwin said, trying to chip in some humor. Kieara looked at him oddly. "You've been forced to watch them for so long that you've actually noticed tiny stuff like that." She noted, Darwin immediately blushing before sighing. "Yeah…I know."

"….Y'know…." Kieara randomly said, staring at the ceiling while fiddling with her fingers. She them made an over exaggerated smile, but to Darwin it looked legit. "I have a GREAT IDEA!" She said, Darwin managed to push a smile before nodding. "What is it?" Kieara looked over for a second before back at Darwin.

"Ever kissed a girl?" Kieara asked. Darwin's smile turned off as he oddly looked at her. "Uh…that's the idea?" Kieara rolled her eyes before nodding. "Before I say it, have you ever done something like that."

"Well…..no." Darwin said before thinking back. "Well….actually I did kiss this one cloud girl, her name is Massami, but it was in the treehouse." Kieara nodded before shrugging. "Well, I've never kissed a boy for realz, so maybe you'd….uh….sorta want to kiss."

"I want to kiss?" Darwin asked, restating what she said. "With who?"

"With me." Kieara said, knowing Darwin wouldn't necessarily be all for it. The fish stared at her for a second before back over at Gumball. He shrugged, uncomfortably as Kieara continued to stare at him closely. "C'mon, is that a yes?" She asked, taking old advice from her sister and leaning in. Darwin started to sweat a little before backing up a bit.

"M-Maybe we should um, hold hands instead?" He suggested. Darwin wanted to do it but it just felt weird and always felt odd about kissing in general. Kieara nodded and grabbed his two fins before pulling him in, puckering her lips as she did so.

"Darwin, it doesn't mean anything, just a quick one." Kieara said softly before locking lips with the astonished fish. His eyes lit up as he felt his mouth become occupied by her own. Speaking of which he immediately pushed his tongue out to greet his kisser. Kieara was a little stunned by the fact that he was willing to French kiss with her, almost forcing it on her. Darwin had no idea what he was doing, and just did what he always saw Gumball do. Both of them had their eyes open, uncomfortably so they immediately shut them upon realization.

Jamie and Gumball giggled at each other, constantly pecking at each other's lips before Jamie spotted Kieara and Darwin. From her angle, it just looked like Kieara was standing in front of Darwin, but her head kept moving so it looked odd. Jamie however kept giggling as Gumball pecked at her neck, tickling the little girl before Jamie's smile slowly dropped. She moved her head closer to the scene before trying to focus her sight. She raised a hand and slightly tapped Gumball, immediately losing interest in him.

"W-Wait, Gumball chill for a second, I'm trying to see something." Jamie said, taking a step forwards. Gumball looked at her before frowning, presuming he had done something wrong or someone was watching them. He casually looked over at Kieara and Darwin before back over at Jamie.

"What are you looking at? Those two?" Gumball asked.

"Uh huh….hey…wait a minute." Jamie said, slowly walking over to the scene of the two younger siblings. Gumball followed her, not at all sure of what she was looking at. "Let's get back to kissing." He suggested. Jamie however completely ignored that comment before getting closer and closer, suddenly realizing what they were doing.

"Oh my God." Jamie said in shock to herself, watching Kieara and Darwin passionately yet somewhat forcefully kiss each other. Kieara could hear them talking, so she kissed even harder, wrapping her hands around his head. Gumball walked up and then realized what captured Jamie's attention.

"Darwin, what are you doing?" Gumball cried.

The two slowly broke apart, leaving a seductive look on Kieara and a more stunned looked on Darwin as they both slowly turned two the shocked counterparts. "Yes, do you have a problem?" Kieara asked. Gumball and Jamie looked disgusted, before looking at each other, making odd and confusing gestures.

"W-What are you doing!" Gumball stuttered.

"You're kissing each other!" Jamie cried.

"….So?" Kieara said, rolling her eyes before giving them an irritated glare. "You do it all the time." Darwin nodded, still a little uneasy about what happened. "Yeah, you guys always kiss, in front of me, all the time!" Gumball and Jamie let out a sharp sigh before explaining themselves.

"Well I mean, uh…" Gumball started but suddenly lost his excuse as to why he made out so often. Both Kieara and Darwin waited impatiently, knowing they would be unable to answer. Jamie waited before realizing Gumball would be unable to answer.

"Do you actually love her, Darwin?" Jamie asked, almost in a rhetoric manner. Kieara grinned at this before silently waiting for Darwin to answer, uncomfortably. Darwin started to sweat as he found himself in a bad position, unable to say 'yes' because he didn't, and 'no' because it would hurt or affect Kieara.

"Yeah….um…"

"Alright people, it's time for bed!" Nicole announced, coming downstairs. The kids continued to watch Darwin before sighing and giving their attention to Nicole. The mother observed the bed before nodding, "Good job boys, now go upstairs, you're sure as heck not sleeping here." Nicole stated, pointing towards the stairway. Both the boys immediately waved at each other's female counterpart before ditching the girls and sprinted upstairs.

"Oh jeez Darwin, what's wrong with you!" Gumball scolded, walking down the hallway. Darwin frowned before sighing, "You guys just kiss so often and w-"

"So you randomly decided to kiss Kieara! What the heck?" Gumball shouted before opening their bedroom door. Darwin stared at him in disbelief. "Cut me a break Gumball, it's not a big deal!"

"It is to Kieara, she likes you! But you obviously don't like her!" Gumball pointed out.

"….Yeah, but we didn't do it…for that re-"

"Yeah, girls never say what they mean dude!" Gumball shouted, walking up to the bunk bed. Anais awoke from their loud chattered, rubbing her eyes in irritation. "Can't you guys shut up?" She asked sourly. Gumball glared at her, but refused to acknowledge her comment.

"All I'm saying is that's weird, and you shouldn't go out and kiss people so randomly." Gumball said, climbing to the top of the bunk bed. "You have no idea how ironic that sounds." Darwin said, climbing on top of the dresser.

"I know Jamie and I kiss in random places, but we're boyfriend and girlfriend, you kinda have to get over that." Gumball explained, Anais groaned before realizing the boys left the lights on. "One of you get down and get the light!" She shouted. Darwin groaned, jumping down from the dresser and walking to the doorway. "I can kiss whoever I want, get off my back."

"I'm on your side, but it's just random, girls may actually think you like them when you do that crap." Gumball said, stripping to his underwear and tossing the clothes onto the floor. Anais again snarled at the fact that he didn't put it in the hamper. "Stop talking about kissing girls, you guys freak me out." Anais shouted at them, both this time listened to her and stop talking.

"Well, at the very least y-"

"SSSSSH!" Anais shushed at Darwin, who groaned before flicking off the lights and closing the door. Gumball smirked before resting his head on the pillow, trying to ignore the small amount of hot air that remained present from the current day. During weather like this, Gumball often envied his adopted brother who slumbered in a cool fish bowl. Anais could say the same, but was more concerned with falling back to sleep than anything. As much as Anais tried to, she couldn't fall asleep, something was bothering her.

'_This day is weird, why are those girls here?_' Anais thought, thinking to ask her brothers. "Hey guys, can I ask you something?" Both Darwin and Gumball opened their eyes and looked around, waiting for a reply. "Yeah sure?" Gumball said. "What's up?"

"Why are those girls here?" Anais asked, often defining them as 'girls' because she wasn't used to a female dominance in the house besides her Mom. Gumball shrugged before replying, "Something about a problem, or whatever, I don't know." Darwin cut in as well, popping his head out the bowl. "Actually, I saw Mrs. Mom carry Jamie's Mom up the stairs."

"Really? When?" Gumball asked.

"Right when they walked in." Darwin commented.

"Why was she 'carried', why didn't she just walk?" Anais asked Darwin. The fish shrugged and prepared to go under again. "Look I don't know, I just saw it, I heard the girls talk about some _'dad'_ or something?"

"Our Dad?" Anais asked.

"No, I'm sure it was theirs, wherever he is." Gumball said, a little casually before shooting up and realizing something. "Actually, now that I think about it…."

"What?" Anais and Darwin asked in unison.

"….Have you seen their Dad?" Gumball asked them, both moaned an _'_Nn Uh'. Gumball sighed before dropping back down into his bed. "Well, maybe he came back, I think that's what they were talking about."

"Look, let's not make any assumptions yet." Anais warned, but Darwin was quick to speculate. "They talked about something dangerous, like they were in danger."

"They could be, that's why Mom brought them over." Gumball said, intrigued as he stared at his night stricken black roof. "It makes sense now, Mom is trying to protect them!" Darwin replied. Gumball nodded but then realized something.

"Wait, what if that danger comes here?" Gumball asked.

"….I dunno, we don't even know what it is." Darwin said, reassuringly. Anais groaned and tried to stop them. "Look, stop trying to figure it out, just go to bed I regret asking." Anais said, situating herself in the bed. "But if the danger does come here, whatever it is, they might have to go." Anais warned, both Darwin and Gumball knowing it to be true.

Unaware to the three siblings, was another three, all of them carefully listening at the doorway. Jamie grinned before hearing a dead silence and pulling away. She motioned the kids to follow her to the stairway where they could talk about it. All of them sat down, away from ear range of the kid's room.

"Well, we better tell them." Kieara suggested. "Although I don't like their readiness to kick us out."

"Yeah, that's bothered me too, especially since Gumball suggested _danger_." Jamie sighed, scratching her arm. Princess looked a little tired, but still curious as to what happen. "So, wait, what happened again?" Princess asked.

"Mommy got a call from Daddy, tried to calm herself down, got drunk so Mrs. Watterson came over and knocked her out." Kieara informed. "Is she okay?" Princess asked. "Sure, I guess." Jamie replied, still worried about what Gumball and Anais said.

"I feel odd." Kieara randomly said. "I feel odd, almost being forced to come here."

"Yeah, we all do, but there is nothing you can do about it." Jamie sighed, wishing she had planned the night a bit better. "And jeez, Mr. Small, we kicked him out like that." Kieara looked over at her, unsure as to why she said that. "He shouldn't have been there, simple as that."

"I guess, but I don't care." Jamie said. "We could've handled it better."

"Oh whatever, point is, we can't sit here and let him find us." Kieara said, a bit secretly. Princess nodded in agreement with the sister. "If Daddy really is so bad, shouldn't we go somewhere more safe?" Jamie chucked before rolling her eyes. "I'm sure it wasn't that bad, we were overreacting, we didn't even hear the call anyways."

"Judging by the way Mom reacted, it wasn't just a joke." Kieara warned.

"I know, but he might have been sincere, you know how Mom would freak out i-"

"Well he fucking deserves it! You know what he did to us!" Kieara snapped, before nodding her head towards Princess. "And we have to live with it, every fucking day." Jamie glared at her, unsure as to what she was saying. Princess suddenly felt like she had no reason to voice her opinion, especially since they were discretely talking about her it. Their gestures weren't very secretive, she could clearly see them motioning towards her.

"Are you implying you hate Princess?" Jamie asked, a little sternly.

"W-What!" Princess cried, looking over at Kieara.

"Obviously not!" Kieara shouted back, "But you know why she's here! It wasn't something Mom wanted!" Jamie blinked, almost stunned before looking at Princess and back at Kieara. She suddenly felt a need to shut Kieara up before she said anything else.

"Why are you saying this so damn loud!" Jamie shouted. "And right in front of her!"

"Are you guys hiding something from me?" Princess quietly asked, but it was ignored.

"Who the fuck cares anymore!" Kieara whispered loudly, ready to leave this scene. "The point is, we have to get the gun and go home!" Jamie watched her, knowing she was right. "Agreed, we can't stay here."

"Excuse me, but you're not going anywhere." Nicole's voice said from above. All three of the girls shouted before stumbling to their feet, unaware she was even in the area. Kieara was the first to reply, obviously.

"You can't control us." She threatened.

"Yes I can, your mother would want me to I'm sure." Nicole said rather calmly.

"Stop pretending like you know what's going on." Jamie spoke up, earlier remaining silent about Nicole's constant controversial statements. "You keep giving suggestions, like you know anything about us!"

"Ha, you guys pretend like you speak a different language." Nicole joked, leaning on the wall. "Just because you come from the Southside you think you know everything and I know nothing, huh?" Nicole asked, almost rhetorically. Jamie and Kieara cringed, knowing she could see right through them.

"Doesn't change the fact that the way you handle problems is different from our way." Jamie pointed out.

"Your _ghetto_ way means nothing." Nicole immediately shot down, not losing any ground. Jamie and Kieara were a little taken back by her not-so subtle terminology. "I know you would just call the police Mrs. Watterson, well that NEVER works!" Kieara said. "Especially with us."

"It doesn't if you always make the police hate you." Nicole said, getting off the wall. "I don't know if you know this or not but I often hung out on the Southside." Jamie and Kieara were a little surprised but didn't change their attitudes. "Spent most of my time there, even though I didn't like it." Nicole said, before looking at the kids.

"Remember, I am your Mom's old best friend, I knew exactly what she did and I did it too." Nicole pointed out, motioning for the kids to walk down the stairs. "I still try to handle problems on my own, but generally I know what I'm doing." Nicole joked.

Jamie and Kieara looked over at her, walking down into the living room. Nicole watched them scan her intensely. "I've also _shot_ a person before, _shot _multiple people." Nicole said, serious. Jamie could see the tone immediately switch off. "I didn't like it, and I don't like it now."

"Who did you shoot?" Kieara asked.

"It was a couple of thieves but it doesn't matter, Guns kill people, you should trust the police more often rather than assuming a shootout will solve everything." Nicole said, leading the kids to their beds. All three of the girls were rather silent as her story sounded Non-fiction.

"I don't enjoy thinking about it, but I had the same readiness to shoot that you girls did." Nicole said, pulling back the blankets. "The point Is, I shoot when the police cant." Jamie instinctively nodded, almost in fear of something. "If your father is such an awful person as your Mom said, he would've shot you guys seeing that gun." Nicole said, situating the pillows.

"Get in." She commanded. The girls immediately did as they were told, not trying to connect in eye contact with the stern mother. As the girls got situated in the bed Nicole went over and prepared to turn off the lights.

"That story is why I won't let you have that gun. Now, you girls have nothing to worry about, I'll surely stop anyone from hurting you." Nicole said, before flicking off the room light. The girls didn't reply, surely hoping she would leave soon so they could talk amongst themselves.

"Goodnight, I don't want to hear you snooping around my kid's door." Nicole said, walking up the stairs. The girls knew that comment was awkward but left it alone and waited until she was gone to start talking.

Nicole opened the door to the bedroom where Richard lay, he himself was a little hyped up from all the soda he had drunk. Richard rolled over and noticed the look of uncertainty on Nicole's face. "Something wrong?" He asked.

"The girls, they were talking near the kid's door." Nicole informed. Richard shrugged. "So?"

"So? They're talking about killing their 'supposed' Dad, and then they got into an argument about Princess but I didn't get the relevance." Nicole said, striping down into her undergarments. "Those kids worry me."

"Why?" Richard asked. "They're not that bad."

"Kids who try and shoot me are that bad, Richard." Nicole said, with a hint of scarce in her voice. "I'm afraid Gumball or maybe Darwin and Anais will pick up on this." Richard giggled at the statement. "They won't. They're pretty smart you know."

"….Yeah sure, but they're also pretty gullible." Nicole pointed out. "I didn't want them to associate with people like Jamie for a reason, but I let it slide because…..well….you know." Richard blinked, "No I don't know."

"I mean….it was during that time, a few months ago, when Gumball made me mad and I slapped him…..sent him to your Mom's house….he tried drugs…..remember?" Nicole asked him. Richard thought for a second before making a goofy expression and nodding. "Yeah, sure do!"

"Back then I just wanted Gumball to get over it, so I sorta let him do what he wanted." Nicole said, getting underneath the covers. "And Jamie seemed normal."

"She still is, just having a problem." Richard said.

"Richard, that entire family is having a problem." Nicole said.

"They always do, don't they?" Richard asked.

"Yeah…..that's why I feel weird. If the danger was so evident that Jamie had to use a gun, should I have really brought them to a place where my kids rest?" Nicole asked, putting a hand on Richard's sweaty chest. The heat was evident in this room all day. "I mean, I can't have my kids pulling guns….I don't want to be selfish." Nicole whispered, snuggling with him.

"Then don't….just leave them alone." Richard muttered, reaching over and turning off the lamp. Nicole felt better now that Richard wrapped his arms around her. But still bothered by the three kids stupid decision.

"You're right, its best I let them handle it." Nicole said, before making a little grin and kissing Richard on the cheek. "My big strong snuggle-man is pretty smart." Nicole said, almost like a baby, making Richard giggle like a child.

"Heh….just do what you feel is right Nicole." Richard said, feeling Nicole's hands sink down to his back. Nicole moaned, wrapping her legs around him before giving him another kiss. "I know, I know, I'm just a little worried, but they'll be out tomorrow."

"Okay, fine by me." Richard said, childishly.

"Speaking of fine…" Nicole muttered, taking one of her hands and placing it near his briefs. "How about a nice hot night of-"

"Eh, not tonight." Richard said, feeling her hand suddenly stop. Nicole was a little stunned, she personally needed a little relief. "Ah, eh? Wait why not?"

"Busy day tomorrow, need all the strength I can get." Richard muttered, turning away from Nicole. The blue cat sighed, not even caring a to what he was doing as she released him and rolled away. She moaned in realization of how soft her pillow was, but her stomach felt a little weird. The idea that Denise went crazy and now she's in their house bothered her.

"Richard?" Nicole asked, still lying down.

"Hmm?" Richard moaned, slowly falling asleep.

"….Where did we put the gun?" Nicole asked.

"The gun? You mean the guns'?" Richard asked, a little worried as to why she asked the question. Nicole 'Mm Hmm'd' him before Richard thought for a second. "Three under the bed, two in the wall of the hallway." Richard then hesitated when hearing her silence, but needed an answer.

"Why exactly did you ask?" Richard asked.

"I just wanted to make sure, just in case something bad happens." Nicole said, before falling asleep. The house remained astonishingly quiet. The girls downstairs tried to make little noise when they made their way to the bathroom. The Watterson kids were rather tired so they didn't get up. Richard slept as usual but Nicole constantly woke up and checked on the three kids downstairs, just to see if they had gone anywhere.

**-The Next Morning, 9:01pm—**

Denise awoke from her slumber, the sunlight was burning her body and the awfully broken mattress was wearing on her back. Getting up slowly she realized she had her day clothes on. Her mind was a little fuzzy, unable to recognize where she was.

"Where the fuck…" She muttered to herself.

Getting up from the bed she immediately took notice of the plank that was directly above her, staring at it before realizing it was a series of boards to the roof. She observed the room before concluding the indicators that she was in an attic.

"I need to get out of here." Denise muttered, rubbing her head and grinning at the sore spots that covered her face. She was sure her green skin either looked red or purple now, her lips felt bloated and her head ached. "I must've been drunk…..but I don't remember drinking anything." Denise said as she stumbled over to the floor hatch.

"Alright, time to find out whose place this is….wait a minute." Denise said to herself, before flashing back to what happened earlier in the night before. "That man….he called me!" Denise scrambled away from the hatch before looking out the window of the attic. The light was too bright to see out of, at least for her currently sensitive eyes.

"He must have me!" Denise thought, suddenly feeling the need to escape. "I'm sure that door leads to his hallway!" The mother ran over to it and lifted it slowly, hearing some soft footsteps. Denise listened carefully before seeing the shadow in the brightly lit hallway get closer and closer to beneath the attic's floor door.

'_I'll get this fuck.'_ She positioned her knees and feet out of the attic and hung herself, ready to jump whomever it was. As the shadow came to its fullest point, Denise jumped out of the attic, feeling her knock down and crash on someone. Denise however messed up and also crashed on the ground. However she quickly jumped up and looked down at the person she smashed.

"Wait…Nicole?" Denise asked, looking down at the blue cat wearing a pink robe. Nicole carefully looked up at her before clinching her teeth and rising to her feet.

"YOU!" She shouted.

"Nicole, what am I doing here?" Denise asked, now letting her guard down and dismissing her suddenly angry attitude. Nicole remained unchanged and felt extremely taken-advantage of, this and her early morning attitude typically exaggerated her current mood.

"I can't talk to ANY OF YOU WITHOUT GETTING HURT!" Nicole screamed, Denise again paid it no mind. "Why am I here?" Nicole sighed before giving Denise a disapproving irritated glare. "You got drunk last night and tried to hit me, I had to knock you out and bring you here."

"….Wait? You beat me?" Denise asked in disbelief.

"Of course." Nicole said, still a little mad. "Have you come to your senses?"

"Well I guess so, where is my kids?" Denise asked.

"Speaking of which." Nicole said, motioning for Denise to follow her down the stairs. As they got to the bottom she pointed to the six kids who currently occupied her living room. Denise felt relieved at the sight of her three kids chewing away at some cereal. Darwin was the first to notice, before nudging Gumball, whom nudged Jamie and whatever, eventually all the kids spotted her.

"Hi." They said in unison, before looking back at the Olympics.

"Jeez, I hate NBC's coverage of this." Anais snarled.

Denise blinked before looking back at the curious Nicole. "Did I do anything humiliating last night?" She asked, almost between them only. "Well, nothing THAT bad. But we'll talk about it later." Nicole said before Denise nodded and looked over at her kids.

"Well, I'm back to normal now I guess." Denise cheered, but all three of her kids mustered out a weak and disguised smile. "Great Mom." Denise could sense that she had done something wrong, but ignored it and walked down into the kitchen, followed by Nicole.

"So, what's for breakfast for us adults?" Denise asked.

"I'm not done with you, Denise." Nicole warned, rubbing a painful ache in the back of her head. "Your jumpy antics landed me with so many bruises I could barely sleep last night!" Denise snickered as she opened the fridge. "I was in a different mind, I don't know."

"Speaking of which, what's up with the drinking!" Nicole cried. "I thought you were done overblowing yourself like that."

"Again, I don't know, I just remember…..something." Denise said, catching herself at the last minute. She didn't want to tell about the vague conversation she remembered.

"By something, you mean your divorced husband?" Nicole shot, eager to get an explanation out of her.

"….Sure." Denise muttered. Nicole expected her to say more but was let down by her dead silence. Nicole knew she might have been overstepping her boundaries but she had to make her point clear.

"Sure? Is that it?" Nicole asked. Denise looked down before back at her and nodded. "That's about it, at least for you it is."

"That's the problem, neither you or the girls will specify what happened between you and him s-"

"So, it should stay that way." Denise said, closing the fridge. "It doesn't concern you, you haven't a right to know what goes on." Nicole snarled at this, "Your kid holds a gun to me and you expect me not to have a right?" Denise glared at her, before cocking a brow. "Wait….what?"

"Yeah a fucking gun, she tried to shoot me!" Nicole shouted at her. Denise grinned at her language, obviously she was rather mad.

"Who did? Why?" Denise asked.

"They thought your _hubby_ was coming back, they were wrong." Nicole explained.

"Okay, he's not my _hubby_, I'm getting tired of you saying that REAL QUICK!" Denise shouted. Nicole didn't lose any ground however. "I'm letting you in my home, but if any danger comes to my kids…..I'll-"

"You'll what? I didn't ask you to bring us here!" Denise shouted.

"Your kids were going to shoot someone and you were drunk! Supporting it!" Nicole shouted, "What did you expect me to do."

"I expected you to not give me such a stupid attitude." Denise said, feeling the urge to leave and a sense of distrust amongst her. Nicole was reluctant to treat a friend like this, but her kids and family came first.

"You were supposed to be dating Steve, now where the hell was he!" Nicole shouted at her.

"…..Steve?" Denise asked, "Steve….I think I saw him that day…but…." Nicole was getting seriously mad by the fact that Denise dismissed her awful behavior and seemed to take her for granite. "You don't even remember what you did with your boyfriend."

"Nope, not really." Denise said.

"That's so TYPICAL of you!" Nicole shouted, Denise rolled her eyes before walking past her and ignoring her shouts. "I can't raise your kids for you!" Nicole screamed, hoping she would reply. "You need to take charge better! I won't help you next time unless I KNOW WHATS GOING ON!"

Denise walked out and approached the six kids on the couch, all of them aware but not concerned of the yelling in the back. "C'mon kids, we're going home, we had fun." Nicole heard Denise speak these calm words, it intensified her anger. "You can't just ignore me like this!" Nicole said, more quietly but directed towards Denise.

"Pee….Off." Denise said a with a smirk, leading her kids away from the couch. Darwin and Anais didn't care but Gumball was a little concerned, getting a kiss on the cheek from Jamie as she approached the door. Nicole felt like she was going to lose her mind, she's getting nothing out of this.

"It was your choice, obviously you didn't like it so we're going, bye." Denise told the enraged Mother as she and her children walked out. Nicole wanted her to stay so she could lecture Denise, but the other mother wanted no part in it.

As Nicole continued to try and talk angrily to Denise, the family ignored her as they departed from the house. Princess however noticed a black car with tinted windows pulling up to the side of the house. It zoomed right in, making a loud break noise and shooting dust and burnt rubber everywhere.

"Mom, someone is here." Princess alerted. Both Kieara and Jamie got a little worried and looked back at their cautious mother. Nicole noticed the car parked in front of her house and got a little worried.

"Is that h-"

"Hey, just get inside, we don't need to hear it right now!" Denise shouted at Nicole, the blue cat stumbled back as Denise looked over at the running parked car. "We'll deal with him, ourselves."


	2. An Afternoon to Forget

Chapter 2: An Afternoon to Forget

"I'll handle this myself." Denise told Nicole. The mother too was curious as to who was at the car, but she had a hunch based on the information previously collected. Nicole suddenly became scared, and reluctant to let Denise approach the car idling in front of her house alone.

"I don't give a crap who it is!" Nicole said, shoving past the slow walking family. Denise immediately glared at her, trying to figure out her constant pestering. "This isn't your problem, get the fuck back inside!" Denise demanded.

***HONK HONK***

Both Denise's family and Nicole shivered at the sound of the horn. Nicole suddenly felt self-conscious and somewhat embarrassed by the confused glances from Kieara and Princess, the humorous one from Jamie, and the agitated one from Denise.

"Get out the way, he's our problem, not yours." Denise said a little calmly. She knew the Wattersons were watching from the window and she didn't want to be a bad model for her kids. She didn't know why she was being so caring for their family at an awful time.

"Like I said Denise, he's my problem too! He's on my property, I don't give a shit who he is!" Nicole demanded.

"_He_? How do you know it's a _He_?" Denise said, a little angrier now. "You have no clue whose inside that car!"

"You said your husband was after you, you drunk!" Nicole scolded, which immediately caused Denise step forwards threateningly. "Get the FUCK OUT!" Denise screamed at her, grabbing Nicole's shoulder and shoving her inside.

Her family was hesitant to follow her as Denise approached the car, aggressively knocking on the window. _'I'll show this fuck!' _She thought, but as the window rolled down she ducked under and looked at the man inside. "Uh….what?"

"Hey Denise, I knew I'd find you here." Larry said. Denise blinked before aggressively trying to grab and attack him. "Who the hell are you!" Denise shouted, trying to grab him. Larry stretched back, trying to avoiding her clawing.

"I'm a f-friend of Steve, will you stop it!" Larry cried, leaning back. Denise glared at him before suddenly remembering him at the restaurant. Denise blinked before turning her head to her astonished kids and nodding in the direction of the car.

"C'mon kids, it's a friend." Denise said, but the three children were hesitant. Denise stared at them for a second before sighing, understandably, but still a little agitated. "Kids, here, NOW!" Denise demanded. Larry tried not to be noticed, and glad that the Watterson's nor Denise's family could see him.

"How do you know it's not a trap!" Both Jamie and Nicole shouted at the same time. When they both realized it, they forced themselves not to glare at each other.

"Jamie, I don't have time for this shit, get in the car, ALL OF YOU!" Denise shouted, walking to the side and swinging open the passenger door. "Or I swear I will beat the shit out of you!" That comment made the Wattersons's shiver, particularly Nicole, who hadn't heard her use that kind of language to her kids in a long time.

Despite the long postponed foul language from their mother, upon hearing that statement they were quick to rush into the car. Kieara first, followed by Princess, and finally Jamie who didn't notice her boyfriend cautiously staring from the door.

Denise slammed the door shut and then proceeded to the front passenger door before glaring at Nicole. The cat was emotionally stunned, thus she didn't emit a response. Denise however, hadn't appreciated this at all, and the false scarce enraged her even more, on top of sense of weakness.

"You kidnap me again Nicole, and you w-"

"Don't you start!" Nicole shouted at her, her voice croaking. Denise held herself back from charging.

"You're going to get yourself fucking hurt!" Denise shouted.

"Right, yeah!" Nicole said, forcing a chuckle to look in control. "Says the drunk!"

"Keep talking and I'll show you what a bottle can do!" Denise cried, swinging the door open. "I'll pay a personal visit!" Nicole blinked, but something clicked inside her head. _'Personal Visit.'_

"HELL NO! YOU STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!" Nicole shouted.

"Nobody was talking about your family you lousy…." Denise muttered to herself as she closed the door. Nicole however didn't let up presuming the lack of response was due to Denise not hearing her. Nicole walked closer to the car, with Larry ready to storm off.

"You lay a hand on any Watterson, and I'll…"

"Don't fucking hold your breath, Larry, let's go." Denise demanded. Larry didn't waste a second and slammed his foot on the pedal. The black car stormed down the street, desperately trying to get away. Denise stared down the shocked blue mother in the rear-view mirror, grinning in disgust.

"I don't like getting into a stranger's cars." Denise warned.

"It's alright, I can assure you that you won't be hurt." Larry remarked with a goofy grin. The three children in the back were still unsure of what exactly happened. Denise noticed the immediate harsh silence and glanced over at them.

"You guys all right?" Denise asked.

"Y-Yeah, fine." Kieara stuttered, but the two others continued to try and understand what happened. Denise could tell this was on their minds, and she sat back in her seat. "Listen, I know I must've scared you, but you have to understand that…well…I thought Larry here…..was um…"

"We get it Mom, you don't have to explain." Jamie said, not wanting any conversation right now. She was currently more concerned about how this would affect her relationship with Gumball. _'Mom just ruled out any possibility of me going to the Watterson's anytime soon.' _Jamie thought, before cringing.

"Why did she have to me so mean?" Jamie whispered to Kieara, almost casually.

"Who? Mom?" Kieara whispered back.

"No, Mrs. Watterson. Like, what was the point of that?" Jamie asked, a bit louder this time. Kieara motioned for her to quiet down in fear of Denise listening, but Denise didn't seem to move her head so they assumed she was out of range.

"What were you saying?" Kieara whispered.

"Gumball's Mom, she was being all paranoid for no reason." Jamie whispered.

"Yeah I noticed too, but I didn't say anything since it was kinda awkward." Kieara shrugged. "Besides, I told you I didn't like her."

"It wasn't awkward for me." Jamie whispered, a little angrily. "It was embarrassing, and I had to sit there while she insulted Mom." Kieara blinked but then rolled her eyes. "Well, that's how Nicole is."

"But that's bullshit though." Jamie explained. "Her attitude was unprovoked!"

"Eh, well we can't don't anything about it." Kieara sighed.

"What are you kids talking about?" Denise asked calmly. Jamie and Kieara didn't want to say what it was, but didn't see it as wrong to ask a simple question.

"Why was Nicole pissed at you?" Jamie asked. Denise grinned, having a sense that was what they were talking about.

"Look, I don't know that's just what sh-"

"You have to know, you must've done something." Kieara accused. Denise was a little taken back by her statement. "Are you seriously accusing me of starting that shit?" Denise asked her. Larry grinned at the easiness of Denise's foul mouth to be used towards her kids.

'_Boy, she needs Small and fast._' Larry thought, halting the car at the red light.

"No, I mean that you must've said SOMETHING to have pissed her off." Kieara explained.

"Whether on purpose or not." Jamie quickly added.

"Look, I don't know anything about what happened. One minute she's fine, the next she gets all jumpy with me. Then she threatens me and I'm just trying to go downstairs." Denise whined, carefully watching the naïve Princess in the back who seemed rather quiet.

"Why are you so quiet lately?" Denise asked Princess. The four year old shrugged, "I just don't want to talk." Denise eyed her suspiciously before shrugging and nodding, accepting her answer. "Look, you kids don't need to worry, just give Nicole time to cool off."

**-Back at the Watterson's House—**

"Richard, where the hell were you!" Nicole shouted.

"Nicole, don't cuss in front of the kids!" Richard whispered back; illogically too as all three of the kids heard her say that regardless. Richard and his three kids sat on the couch why Nicole marched angrily back and forth.

"When some _Woman_, threatens my children I don't take it lightly!" Nicole said, emphasizing the _"Woman"_ part. Richard shook his head. "You took it too personally, it had nothing to do with that." Nicole angrily glared at him, causing Richard to look away.

"She said would come here and beat us!" Nicole cried.

"You see, you've been freaking out too much!" Anais jumped in. Nicole confusingly glanced at her. "She didn't say she would _beat you_, she said she would _pay you a visit_!" Nicole slapped her forehead. "What do you think that means, Anais!"

"It was a hallow threat!" Anais argued.

"Nothing about Denise is hallow, particularly not her fists!" Nicole explained. The family on the couch remained silent after that. "I know Denise, she doesn't take things lightly!" Nicole explained. Gumball felt the worst because this was sure to loosen the relationship between him and Jamie, but he didn't have much of a defense as he couldn't possibly explain Denise's drunk attitude.

"Why was she drunk, anyways?" Darwin innocently asked.

"She wasn't drunk, Mom, I don't see why you were being so harsh, if you didn't say anything nothing would've happened." Gumball said, with the feeling of Anais jabbing him in the side. "What?" He asked his little sister.

"Gumball, don't talk to me right now, please!" Nicole shouted at him.

"I'm just saying, common sense y'know?" Gumball quietly said.

"She was trying to hurt me, to hurt you! She was drunk the night before, you guys don't even know what happened!" Nicole shouted. Richard could hear the sirens going off in his head before trying to explain to Nicole something. "I don't think this would be a good story to tell the kids!"

"Yeah, tell us!" Darwin cheered.

"Agreed!" Gumball added.

"I think you should, for the sake of context." Anais finished.

"Yeah, fine, here's an explanation for you!" Nicole said, putting her hands on her hips. Richard sighed, but sat back and ignored it as he knew he couldn't stop her.

"I went to her house to drop off groceries, you know, Jamie's?" Nicole said, looking over at Gumball for clarification. He nodded since he remember more clearly it was hers. "I come in, and Jamie and Kieara hold a GUN to my HEAD!" The three kid's eyes widen at that remark, unsure if they heard it clearly.

"A what?" Darwin asked.

"A _gun_, they pointed it right at me the minute I opened the door!" Nicole cried. Gumball and Anais exchanged glances, unsure if this was true but feeling like Nicole wouldn't lie. "Go on." Anais said.

"Then I snatch it, because they don't know how to shoot and I try to find Denise, but she's in the back. When I found her, she was storming about, drunk, and whining about her long lost husband!" Nicole exclaimed.

"Lost husband?" Darwin asked.

"Yeah, I don't know either. Anyways, she assumes that her husband sent me here and then I try to explain that I was here to drop off the groceries and then she hits me!" Nicole shouted. The kids didn't seem to react to this one so much, so Nicole stretched out her arms and showed them the purple bruises.

"Oh crap!" Darwin cried.

"Okay, I'm convinced." Gumball said scarcely.

"It was with a poll or something, anyways I managed to take the poll away from her and I knocked her out." Nicole said, but Gumball was suspicious. "I did see Denise with some bruises, did you hit her with the poll?

"No, I did it with my fist." Nicole said. Gumball sighed, glad she didn't resort to that. "Nonetheless, I got an argument from her kids, and then I managed to convince them to take Denise home with me." Nicole explained.

"Explain why…" Richard recommended, he was aware that she could leave out crucial information that would explain why.

"Oh, well…..see….this entire thing is going on because Denise thinks their Dad has come back." Nicole explained. Gumball grinned, he was getting irritated with this _'not knowing what's going on'_ father business. Anais and Darwin were putting the pieces together too.

"And all of this, is because of their little scarce that he may come back and….I don't know, HAUNT them or something." Nicole said, comically mocking their problem. "Whatever it is, I'm done helping them until they can get a grip, afterwards we'll talk about having them over again."

"Don't you think it's a little odd and all that we're trying to break apart our relations with them? I mean it's just one mistake." Darwin said.

"That one mistake could've blasted my head off. Do you understand that? They were going to shoot me!" Nicole said, which invited Richard to motion for her to tone it down a bit. Although, unknown to their parents, the kids were spooked by the concept of a dead mother. The possibility that if they _'had' _shot, Nicole would've been gone.

"Y'know, when you think about it, Mom could've died." Anais whispered to Gumball. The blue cat was trying his hardest to find justification for Jamie's crude actions, but nothing could overcome shooting his mother. _Nothing._

"I uh….wait…" Gumball stuttered, unable to find the proper words.

"Mrs. Mom, you're not going back there right?" Darwin asked, sweat appearing on his face. Nicole stared before nodding. "Yeah, that's how it will work. We don't mess with them and they won't mess with us."

"Honey, you're acting way to quickly!" Richard butted in. "It was a MISTAKE!"

"Mistake that could've killed Mom, Dad." Gumball muttered to himself. Richard sighed, _'Am I the only one who doesn't flip out in this family?_' He thought before giving a word of advice. "Nicole, she's your friend, give her another chance." Richard said, grabbing the car keys off the table.

"I'll consider it, and where are you going?" Nicole asked.

"I'm going to _'Jack N' the Box'_, want anything for lunch kids?" Richard asked, trying to lighten the mood.

As the kids ordered their food and Richard went off the fetch it, they decided that they would go ahead and play something outside. The mood in the house had been a damper, and the evidence of the last family's quickly check-in was still here. But the concept of someone getting a gun to kill their Mom haunted them for a while, and forced them to tolerate Nicole's irrational attitude.

Richard finally came home with the food but the three kids were in no mood to stay around the house for the day. Despite events, the sun was bright, the sky was almost entirely clear, the air was around 70 degrees and it seemed perfect to go to the park.

"Leaving so soon?" Nicole questioned, watching her children grab their fast food bags and open the door. "Yeah, we're going to the park down the street." Gumball explained. Nicole raised an eyebrow, "Even you, Anais?" Anais nodded, aware that going to do anything with her brothers was out of character.

"Well…..alright, be back before Five o' clock and not a second later." Nicole said, flopping down on the couch and opening her magazine. The children nodded before rushing out the door, glad to embrace the perfect weather. The kids then proceeded to walk down the street, all three wondering who would break the silence with the first question.

'_Eh, I'll do it.'_ Anais thought.

"So…Denise tried to shoot Mom." Anais said, offering a subject. "Yep." Gumball said, forcefully casually. Darwin shrugged, "Look, I know you guys want to talk about it but I agree with Mr. Dad, we're just overreacting."

"No, correction, THEY were the ones overreacting." Anais said, accompanied with Gumball's nod. "As much as I love Jamie I can't really believe she'd try and shoot our Mom." Darwin still gave their family the benefit of the doubt. "Maybe they thought Mom was someone else, we don't know, it's only Mom's side of the story."

"It's a pretty convincing side." Gumball noted.

"Gumball, you can't seriously have this attitude towards your girlfriend's family? After all the crap you went through-"

"And us too!" Anais butted in. Gumball rolled his eyes at Anais' obvious reference to the events in the past.

"Yeah, and us, you can't seriously now consider your girlfriend and her family as a threat." Darwin exclaimed.

"I didn't say that, I just said that its kinda silly to try and shoot my Mom." Gumball noted, with a hint of sentimentalism in his voice. Darwin didn't bother, once Gumball was on to something he didn't stop, and neither did Darwin for that matter.

"Well, what if this _Dad _of theirs comes looking for them." Darwin said, walking down the stone designed road to the park.

"I'm not worried for them, I'm worried if he comes looking for us." Anais said, gaining the nods of both boys. "As much as I don't like what they did, I'll still look out for Jamie, no matter what." Gumball said, chewing his claws.

"No matter what?" Anais asked, for clarification.

"Yes, you heard right…..no matter what." Gumball said.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep." Darwin quickly added. Anais sighed and Gumball glared at him. _'Darwin, why would you say that?' _Anais thought, scratching her head and avoiding the glare of Gumball. "Whatever!" Gumball said to Darwin, but attempting to avoid confrontation.

"Yeah_, whatever_, apologies…." Darwin muttered to himself.

"Well….what are you going to do now?" Anais asked. Gumball shrugged and began his walk down the street. "I'll talk to Jamie about it." Gumball said, being quickly followed by his siblings. "Well then I guess we'll be tagging along." Anais said.

"Oh no no no, you're going to ruin it so stay away." Gumball said, turning around and pointing back to the house. Darwin rolled his eyes and walked back to the house. Anais held her ground. "This is wreaking of disaster, why don't you listen and just stay?"

"I can handle this myself." Gumball said, before quickly turning the corner. Anais was going to follow him but was halted by Darwin's call.

"ANAIS!" The fish screamed, Anais looked over at him from afar.

The fish was motioning for the rabbit to attend him, and likely just leave Gumball alone. Anais sighed and grumbled before walking towards Darwin in route to the house.

"He's a sentimental idiot!" Anais muttered loudly to Darwin.

"Tell me something I don't know." Darwin chuckled as he followed her.

**-Jamie's House—**

"I've had enough of this crap, Mom." Jamie said bitterly, stepping out the car with the rest of her family and Larry.

"Watch your tongue!" Denise scolded her, but Jamie didn't budge. "Can you explain why you were so drunk?" Jamie shot at her, in which Denise was a little taken-back by the statement. "Your father was on the phone, I thought he was coming for us!"

"Twenty bucks says it wasn't even him." Kieara muttered to Jamie. She was granted a quick nod, implying that Jamie knew that was it. Denise watched them carefully and then shouted again, "Hold on! That WAS him!"

"He didn't show." Jamie said. "But someone else did, someone who happens to be your friend and my boyfriend's Mom!" Denise looked at her in a dull like manner. Jamie shook her head, presuming her lack of responses was because of her drunken after-state.

"How am I supposed to explain you beating up Nicole with a pipe to Gumball!" Jamie shouted.

"I dunno…..I mean I uh-" Denise stuttered as Kieara leaned in to Jamie and whispered, "I'm sure it can't be any worse than almost shooting her." Jamie then glared at Kieara. "…..Hey, y'know I was just speaking the truth." Kieara said before grinning and walking with Jamie and Denise.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that _bitch_ comes back here with a AK forty seven after what Mom did." Jamie told Kieara. The younger sister cracked up, "You called her a _bitch_, heh!"

Denise groaned as she unlocked the door and let the kids in but Larry remained outside. Denise attended him and closed the door. "What happened?" Larry asked her. Denise sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Man, I don't know. I got a little tipsy and I attacked my friend and…." Denise said before hearing a disappointed sigh from Larry.

"Well, whatever the case, Steve told me you'd be at that house." Larry said before shrugging and turning to the car. "You can thank him if you want." Denise stared him down oddly before wondering,_ 'How did Steve know where I was?'_

"Did he tell you how he found me?" Denise asked him. Larry turned around and shrugged, "Not a word, he just gave me the location, I thought you had called him or something." Larry said. Denise looked at him before making a clueless expression and stared at the floor before popping her eyes at him.

"Haven't a clue." She announced.

"Oh, well whatever I have to get going." Larry said rushing down the lawn to his car, "Nice to meet you and your…..uh….wonderful kids." Denise grinned at that last part, unsure if he was being sarcastic or ignorantly polite. She watched the car take off before sighing and going back inside, almost craving a beer at the thought of Jamie's continuously irritated attitude.

**-Three Blocks away from Jamie's House—**

'_I hope I'm going the right way.'_ Gumball thought, waking past the slightly rotting Victorian housing and gritty apartments. Gumball walked down to the quiet intersection before looking up at the street name. "Oh hey, I'm closer than I thought! Only a couple blocks more!" He said as he hurried his pace. The cat's face was moist from the slightly hot sun and the unreasonably long walk he took because he didn't grab any money for the walk.

Gumball then heard a motor from behind him which he ignored at first, assuming a car was passing by. But seconds later he heard the tires squeak as it sharply pulled in on the curb next to him. The cat reacted in an overdramatic jumpy motion. "WOAH!" he cried, even though it was still in the street.

"Hey loser!" Gumball heard the familiar scold of his sister.

"Anais?" He questioned, seeing the car now that the dust and dirt had cleared. Gumball frowned upon seeing that it was his father's yellow Pontiac station-wagon. Surprisingly, Richard was in the driver's seat which was odd whenever Nicole accompanied him. And speaking of which, Nicole with her trademark pissed off look in the passenger's seat. Darwin looked at him from the window with Anais, the fish was a little excited and Anais just being goofy and laughing at his reaction.

"A little less sharp with the breaks there, Honey." Nicole advised.

"Sorry, I learned from you." Richard sighed. Nicole then unbuckled the seatbelt and crawled over Richard, poking her head out his window. "Where the HELL do you think you're going!" Nicole shouted at the now recovered and slightly surprised Gumball.

"I uh….was going to J-Jamie's?" He said, still a little shocked that they were here.

"Let's get one thing straight, you don't go ANYWHERE WITHOUT TELLING ME!" Nicole screamed at him. Gumball sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yeah okay, whatever I asked Dad." Gumball said. Nicole blinked before looking at Richard.

"Did he?" Nicole asked Richard.

"Did you?" Richard asked Gumball, shocked.

"Uh…yeah?" Gumball said.

"I guess he did." Richard said, casually. Nicole blinked, "You guess?" Richard shrugged, "I dunno." Nicole rolled her eyes before pushing her head back out the window. "Where'd you say you were going?" Nicole asked Gumball. "Jamie's house." He said. Nicole blinked before frowning again, "And why exactly are you going?"

"To talk with Jamie." Gumball said, trying not to reveal any specifics but really it wasn't needed anyways. Nicole sighed before rubbing her face in disbelief. "You see, I told you he was an idiot." Anais whispered to Nicole from the back seat. Nicole ignored her and Darwin softly slapped her beside the head. "Don't jump to conclusions." Darwin said, "You remember what happened last time." Nicole looked back at Gumball, who knew he was in the wrong here.

"So I tell you, _'They're crazy'_, and your response is to see them….alone…..without telling anyone?" Nicole asked, skeptically. Gumball shrugged, "Hey, I told Anais and Darwin." Darwin rolled his eyes and popped his head out the window, "Don't get us in trouble, _Mr. Vague_."

"You're out of your mind!" Nicole shouted at him. Gumball sighed and began to walk towards the house, Richard had the car follow while Nicole scolded him. "You need to start thinking, I can't hold your hand forever!" Gumball ignored her and continued to walk.

"This isn't funny Gumball, you're really starting to piss me off!" Nicole shouted, her face reddening. "I don't know who told you, you can just ignore me, but I'm really getting to my boiling point!" Nicole threatened. Anais and Darwin exchanged glances before putting their heads out the window, "Hey Gumball, you better listen!" Darwin taunted, hoping he'd heed his advice.

"Actually….wouldn't Gumball be able to communicate better with the family seeing as how he'd kinda bridged our relationship and all?" Anais softly questioned. Nicole and Darwin turned around and glared at her.

"Be quiet, Anais." Nicole said.

"Yeah, you wouldn't want to encourage him." Darwin said, a little casually before turning around and watching Gumball walk in sync with the car. Gumball felt his heart drop and butterflies arise in his belly as he continuously ignored Nicole, still hearing every word from her. He started to recall just a few months ago when they had that massive fight, and him ignoring Nicole when she shouted at him in Granny Jojo's house.

"Let me try Mom!" Gumball pleaded, finally giving himself up but still keeping his pace. "Yelling at her wouldn't solve anything!" Nicole felt a little more leverage now that Gumball was replying to her. "Those people have GUNS!" Nicole warned. Gumball looked over at her, "C'mon Mom, they're not going to shoot me! This is a city not suburbia, they're not that paranoid."

"This is getting weird, Mom just let him." Anais sighed.

"What is with you Anais, what happened last time I let him?" Nicole asked her, but the rabbit remained quiet knowing she was walking into a trap. "All I'm saying is that soft-talk works better than harsh talking."

"Try '_No Talking'…" _Darwin muttered to himself. Anais heard this and glanced at him, angrily. "What the heck, nobody was talking to you!" Darwin sighed harshly before turning away from Anais. "Anais I already tried that, Gumball won't listen," Nicole reminded her.

"How many times have we done this?" Richard asked, "It feels like we've argued about this before."

"Why do we even bother?" Darwin asked, "He's not going to listen." Nicole knew what Darwin said was true but she didn't agree with his dismissive attitude. "Of course he was wrong in just going off like that but really? I mean what he's doing isn't a bad idea," Anais said.

"But Gumball has this mind-set that he can do whatever he wants without consequence, like where did he get this from?" Nicole asked, trying to calm herself down. "I don't want to scream but he asks for it all the time!"

"Agreed, but I mean _'now'_ forgetting everything else; let's see what he's going to do." Anais compromised. "I still think he's an idiot but what he's trying to do now isn't such a bad idea." Nicole sighed, "But he's not going to talk to Denise, he's talking to Jamie."

"For unrelated reasons, most likely? Yeah I know, but there's a chance, isn't there?" Anais questioned. Nicole shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, how am I supposed to he doesn't communicate with us! It needs to be established that he can't just do what he wants!"

"Maybe he gets that idea because you don't do anything." Darwin muttered bitterly. Both Anais and Nicole in disbelief looked over at the fish who seemed more interested in the window.

"Darwin." Nicole said sternly. The fish looked over, unsurely. "Don't smack talk me, understand!" Darwin was a little taken back by Nicole's sternness but he muttered _'Yeah'_ and then looked back out.

"What is wrong with you?" Anais asked.

"Oh sorry, forgive me for not agreeing with you or Mom!" Darwin said rhetorically. Anais had oddly gotten enraged at Darwin, most-likely because his sudden attitude was unpredicted. "Okay then Darwin, go help Gumball then, Jerk!" Anais screamed at him. "I thought you were on Gumball's side!" Darwin shouted back.

"Keep your voice down!" Nicole shouted at Darwin, "What has gotten into you!"

"I'm not entirely on Gumball's side, moron!" Anais scowled at him. Darwin rolled his eyes, suddenly feeling cramped in this car where to his left his sister was shouting at him and forwards his Mother was looking back from her seat angrily at him.

"Screw this, I'm just going to fix this myself!" Darwin said, reaching for the door handle and ejecting himself from the slowly moving car.

"HEY!" Anais cried, "Where are you going?"

"This is ridiculous…..and Richard, Denise's house is dead ahead so stop the car." Nicole said to the rather bored rabbit as he pressed his foot on the break and maneuvered the stick-shift. Gumball had been trying his best to ignore the following car which suddenly stopped as he approached the sidewalk of the white one-story house owned by Jamie's Mom.

"I'm surprised; they didn't do a thing to stop me." Gumball said in disbelief but refusing to look at the car in fear of a nasty glare.

"You talk to yourself way too much." Said a familiar funky-hip like voice.

Gumball blinked before sighing and turning around, "You're the one to talk, Darwin." Gumball said, staring down the orange fish who had stood next to him. Gumball cocked an eyebrow at Darwin who had a stern neutral look on his face, almost like he was hiding or planning something.

"Alright dude, what's u-"

"You know what?!" Darwin said loudly at Gumball. The blue cat blinked and sighed before staring down with a smirk and twisting back to the house. "Go ahead, I'm listening." He announced before making a walk over the lawn slowly. Darwin, who was a little temper-headed followed Gumball stubbornly whom which the cat was obviously ignoring him on top of his satirical comment.

"You think you can run around and do whatever you want!" Darwin shouted at Gumball, in which the cat let out a careless_ "Mmm Hmm." _Darwin clinched his teeth at his dismissal, not aware of Gumball approaching the front door.

"Let's just get one thing straight here, just because of what ha-" Gumball then quickly turned around to Darwin, and placed a finger on his big lips, forcing him to shut up.

"Darwin, dude, honestly I'm not listening, just go home." Gumball smiled before giving a disapproving frown and turned around, knocking on the door. Darwin blinked before grumbling something underneath his breath, watching Gumball approach the door and knock.

Nicole had finished arguing before realizing the car had rolled up to the front of the house. Richard seemed totally disconnected with everything before hearing Nicole tell him to stop. He looked at the white house; closing his foot on the breaks.

"Gumball's at the door." He said, blankly. Nicole and Anais stared out the window before the mother rushed out. She yanked the door open and slammed it before walking quickly down the lawn after the two sons of hers.

"Gumball, get the heck away from that door!" Nicole demanded, gaining a glance from Darwin before the fish turned back around.

Gumball could hear the footsteps inside as the front door opened to reveal Denise, who oddly enough bothered to open it and not have Jamie do it. She looked forwards and then downwards before grinning, "Oh, it's you."

Gumball smirked and did a little salute, "That's right, I wanted to talk to Jamie."

Nicole whom had previously been marching down the lawn had frozen in place, and Darwin had been standing in the same position for the past minute or so. Anais watched in awe from the car, and Richard was a little drowsy and tired.

Denise noticed all of them; staring at her with their different emotional expressions before looking back down at Gumball. She frowned upon realization that Nicole was on her front lawn.

"Kid, why'd you bring your folks, obviously I didn't want to talk to them." Denise asked.

"Who said I wanted to talk to them?" Gumball said, twisting his head back and glancing at the astonished family. " They followed me here, I didn't expect them to come along." Denise cocked a brow, "You couldn't lose them?" Gumball frowned, "Uh, I have some paws, and they got a car."

"Mom, whose at the door?" Jamie asked, approaching it beside her and spotting Gumball. A grin of arousal and odd puberty-enhanced satisfaction appeared on his lips upon seeing her, unfortunately the feelings were not mutual. Jamie grinned before glancing up at her Mom who quickly looked down at her before back at Gumball, not trying to make anything too obvious.

'_Why is he here?'_ Jamie thought, looking past the cat to witness his family still standing on the lawn and in their yellow automobile_. 'With his family too? Is he stupid?'_

Nicole felt a dribble of sweat drip from her temple, before realizing she couldn't just stand there and do nothing the entire time. "Okay!" She shouted before approaching the doorway, to the surprise of everyone else as Denise quickly pushed Jamie away from the doorframe. As Nicole got closer, Gumball stared her down. "Mom, what are you doing?" he asked, a little angrily.

"I'm going to deal with this." Nicole muttered to him, standing beside him as she looked at the slightly angered and hurt Denise. Nicole sighed before tossing her hands to her sides, "Obviously I was overacting just a bit." She admitted.

"A bit? You kidnapped me and don't even bother to check up on me and suddenly I'm in some Mystery house!" She said with a chug of snark in her voice. Nicole nodded while twirling her hand around, obviously implying she knew already.

"Yeah, yeah, look I know this; I'm concerned for your well-being after that night." Nicole explained, trying to get a sympathy vouch from her. Denise sighed before nodding her head, "And what's this supposed to be about, I didn't need a family-wide reception." She explained, giving a quick glance at the somewhat neutral Gumball. Nicole rolled her eyes, sighing as she pointed at Gumball. "As you may expect, not all of us are on the same page here."

Gumball grinned at her crude pointing before Nicole withdrew her finger, but kept her eyes on Denise. This wasn't satisfactory for Denise as she backed slightly in the house. "What's my business, is my business." Denise said, "I don't need you to police me, like some annoying rodent." She said, breaking the stare.

"I don't know what one has to with the other." Nicole said, a little sternly. "When my son is constantly visiting you, as a mother, I fear for him being exposed to your antics." Gumball let out a sharp sigh, turning slowly around and slapping his hand on his forehead. Nicole and Denise flinched; the phrase came out a little odder than usual.

"What do you mean; '_Antics'_?" Denise said, placing her hands on her hips and eyeing her. Jamie grinned, listening from the inside knowing that while Nicole was right she was also a little harsh and undeniably bad at communication. Nicole nodded her head, "That didn't come out right, but it remains to be true. You were drunk and stumbling around."

"I GAVE UP DRINKING!" She shouted at her.

"For a fucking month, apparently!" Nicole said, forgetting Gumball was there. Denise made an agitated expression, clinching her eyes in confusion with her arms raised and her mouth agape. "You came here to tell me THIS?" She asked, then looked over at Gumball who had turned around,

"Does your Family somehow improve the situation!"

"What part of '_we're not all on the same page'_ do you not understand?" Nicole asked, sternly and in an authoritarian attitude. Denise let out a forced chuckle before stepping up to Nicole, "I bet you think this is so funny, Nikki!" Nicole shook her head, "No laughter here, aside from your chuckle!" Gumball sighed and began to walk around the house, surprisingly not to the attention of the mothers.

"Let's talk about what I came here to talk about!" Nicole shouted, "You're delusional self, drunk over some invisible guy w-" Denise stopped her foot down. "That man is NOT invisible! He's in ELMORE RIGHT NOW!" Nicole shook her head. "Did you find out about this before, or after you got drunk?"

"You're so fucking funny!" Denise shouted back.

"Serious question! It tells me how I should react to this!" Nicole said, trying to act smarter and civilized.

"FINE! BEFORE!" She screamed at the blue cat. Nicole shrugged and sighed_, 'She's right, I still think she's crazy regardless.' _

"And he called me, harassing me and threatening to take my house away!" Denise said, almost angrily pleading. Nicole wasn't buying it and continued to stare off to the side.

"So, this gave you an excuse to be drunk and go around trying to kill me?" Nicole shouted at her, keeping her arms folded.

"I don't remember, I was DRUNK , like you said!" Denise screamed.

"OH YEAH?" Nicole shouted, pulling her thigh up to her stomach and putting her shin in full view. "SEE THOSE BRUSIES!" Denise looked down at her damaged leg before making a disgusted frown and backing away. "Ew, I don't wanna see that!"

"You DID IT!" Nicole shot at her.

"I guess so, I don't remember!" Denise whined, trying not to look at her damaged leg. Nicole groaned, placing her leg down. "You just don't remember…."

"No, and while this has been cute and all I've had enough!" Denise said, walking back into the house. "Don't you walk away from me, I've had just about enough of you and your crazy delusions!" Denise glared at her. "You're shitting me, he's REAL!"

Nicole sighed and looked around, "Where is he? Give me a location!" Denise crept over to Nicole and whispered to her.

"Don't underestimate him, I know its him! He could be anywhere, even here!" Denise said, in a revealing manner.

"…..Delusional, utterly delusional." Nicole groaned.

"You don't know a THING about him!" Denise shouted.

"Look, we've been arguing forever and I have to cook dinner soon. Your daughter once mentioned this guy so I'm not walking in thick fog, regardless I have seen NO evidence of this guy. You can't tell me if he was here or not, you're going off a phone call which sounds stupid to begin with." Nicole said, hearing a car pass by.

Denise quickly glanced up at a black car which seemed to pull in next to the Watterson car with Richard and Anais. Nicole snapped her fingers which drew Denise's attention back to her. "Don't you dare snap your stupid fingers at me!"

"I was tempted to fucking let you stare off regardless, you make more sense when you're not talking." Nicole mumbled, only to piss off Denise even further.

**-Backyard of Jamie's House—**

"The sun is starting to set." Jamie announced, sitting down on an old wooden bench next to Gumball. Although he was sitting on the top of the back rest, putting his feet on the seat. Jamie looked up at Gumball, sitting above her.

"Why'd your mother have to come and harass us?" Jamie asked, softly.

"I didn't invite her, duh!" Gumball said, immaturely. "She followed me like a weirdo, arguing with the rest the entire time." The cat looked oddly at Jamie, who had been staring at the ground for some time now.

"Either…..I've pissed you off…..or you're really bored." Gumball said, reaching out and touching Jamie on the shoulder, then he placed his other hand on her side. The girl made a little groan and shook his hands off, in which Gumball frowned, scared he had physically crossed the line.

"Watch your hands, dude."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to touch you like that." Gumball said, quietly.

"What?" Jamie asked, turning around. "Of course you meant to, you totally did I mean that's why you did it, right?" Gumball blinked, suddenly his stomach started to lighten and he was unable to bare Jamie's stare.

"Y-Yeah, apologies." He stuttered, looking up in the sky embarrassedly while stretching out his collar for more breathing room. Jamie sighed and turned back around, staring at some ants crawling about.

Gumball watched her and took a deep sigh, unable to figure out what's going on. He had tried to appeal to the family but of all of them, Jamie was the most anti_. 'Why is she treating me like this, I didn't say I supported my Mom?'_ Gumball thought, looking at her before holding his head in her right hand, resting on his thigh.

"No offense, but I liked it better when a minute long kiss was our way of saying hello. And when I could touch you almost anywhere without you being mad at me." Gumball muttered to her. Jamie grinned, although Gumball couldn't see her do it.

"What does you not being able to control yourself have to do with your Mom lecturing mines constantly?" Jamie asked Gumball, yet refusing to look at him. "I'm not my Mom, and since when was my Mom the bad–guy for telling the truth?" Gumball asked her, knowing it was a little risky.

"I'm just ignore your stupid comments and dipshit statements." Jamie groaned. Gumball was offended by that; considering it was Jamie who aimed a gun at her mother and it was her mother who was basically put in a position where she had to take care of them. It all seemed to be her fault, over some non-existent father.

"You say that was stupid? Aren't you the ones who tried to kill my Mom?" Gumball asked, a little agitated_. 'I came here defending them, but now I see the truth behind this.'_ Jamie blinked in confusion before looking back at him, with yet another attitude he'd prefer not to see: skeptical.

"What in the world are you talking ab-"

"I'm talking about when you pulled out a gun and pointed it at my Mom, that's what." Gumball said, a little sternly. Jamie's expression when from confused to _'whatever'_ as she turned back around. "So that's how she said it?" She asked.

"Yeah, that's how she said it because that's the truth." Gumball said, knowing he was totally overstepping his boundaries. "Don't even try and lecture us on truth, I heard your Mom, you don't even believe us."

"Believe you? Believe you about what?" Gumball asked.

"….My Dad." She whispered.

"Oh cut me a break," Gumball said, getting up from the bench and walking down. "Didn't you earlier say it was a hoax or something! You don't even know!" Jamie looked up in shock. "Shit, you don't even know what's it's like to be related to that guy, and YOU just go around rolling your eyes!" Jamie snarled.

"Oh I get it, so shoot my Mom because your Dad was a dick!" Gumball said, raising his hands angrily.

"I was a MISTAKE!" Jamie shouted back.

"Well that's a GREAT apology! Rather than being thankful that we bothered to take care of you, you run out and then treat me like crap! I was here, supporting you because I thought my Mom was too harsh! But I can't even get a kiss, or a 'hello', your Mom just comes out and starts cracking jokes and you get all snarky with me!"

"Get a kiss? What the hell! We're not going to kiss all the time, it's not how we say hello you weirdo!" Jamie shouted at him, standing up. Gumball groaned, "The Kiss? That's all you heard me say! That's not important, it's how your family treats us!"

"Gumball, just stop it." Jamie sighed, sitting back down on the bench. "Obviously we're not getting along today."

"Or ever." Gumball muttered.

"No, not 'or ever'; just give us some space, we're dealing with a monster here." Jamie groaned, wiping her face from the sweat. "It's getting dark, and obviously we're not going to have a lot of fun today." Gumball angrily turned to her, "Yeah, I _fucking _know, thank you."

Jamie made a frown, hearing Gumball cuss obviously meant he was really angry.

"You don't need to cuss at me Gumball, just calm down." Jamie warned. "The last thing I need to hear is…."

"Here what!" Gumball shouted, in disbelief, "You don't want to hear me? All because of phone call!"

"I didn't even say that; would you like a stupid hug to calm yourself?" Jamie snarled at him.

"Everything has got to be a stupid fucking joke to you!" Gumball snarled back.

"If I give you some cat nip will you SHUT UP!" Jamie screamed.

"No, forget it, I'll go!" Gumball said, angrily marching for the backyard gate. "Have fun shooting people over some fucking guy that's nowhere to be seen!" A loud noise screeched from the slammed wooden gate. Jamie didn't bother to get up, but in the back of her mind she started to worry if she took it too far.

'_Ugh, what a whiner, I can't stand that.'_ Jamie thought, before something clicked in the back of her mind. Her cruelty.

'_Why didn't I just fucking kiss him, that's what he wanted!'_ She thought, getting up and wiping the sweat from her forehead. _'I should've just talked, rather than fucking going all emo on him! He's sensitive, God-fucking-dammit!' _Jamie rose up and planned to follow him but a sudden gust of pressure in her chest convinced her otherwise. _'This father of mines better give me a big apology for what he's doing.'_

'_This is ALL over a fucking phone call!'_ Gumball thought.

As the cat walked by he accidentally aligned himself with the fuming mother of his, whom had a barrage of insults shouted at her. Nicole swore something at her and then twisted around, ignoring Denise who was screaming something. Darwin had been sitting on the lawn, near asleep as he suddenly awoke and spotted his Mom and Brother going to the car.

"Richard, start the car!" Nicole screamed before flashing around, towards Gumball. The little cat stopped in his tracks, "Gumball, you're not EVER coming back here! UNDERSTAND?" The boy folded his arms and glanced to his side, "No need to tell me twice."

"WHAT!" Nicole screamed.

"I said 'Yes', Mom." Gumball muttered.

The mother blew steam out her nostrils before walking back to the car; a rather irritated pair of sons followed her. Nicole jumped in the front seat and Gumball jumped in the back with Darwin following. They shut the doors and quickly checked to see if Denise was still shouting, which she wasn't merely closing the door.

"This is some utter shit, Richard!" Nicole cussed.

"Honey, the kids…" Richard groaned, yawning from his sleep before squeezing down on the handle. Nicole's breathing could be heard by Darwin and Gumball in the backseat as they suddenly found a need to keep quiet. "You know what she said to me?" Nicole asked Richard, intending to say the answer anyways.

"Well uh-"

"She told me that I need to control my kids, ME!" Nicole whined, rolling down the window. "She told me that, knowing full well her kids nearly shot me!" Richard nodded before turning the key in the ignition, warming up the old car.

"As for YOU TWO!" Nicole shouted, looking back at them. Gumball jittered and quickly looked at the floor, and Darwin let out a throat-clearing cough and wiped his head; both avoiding eye-contact. "You're GROUNDED! NO GAMES, OR TV!" Gumball let out a sharp, loud, arrogant sigh as he stared at something out the window. Nicole immediately heard this and reminded her of something.

"As for Jamie, you can forget her!" Nicole said, turning back around and talking more to herself than anything. "Ain't no fucking son of mine going around dating some criminal…." She muttered before turning to Richard. "AND I KNEW SHE WAS BAD NEWS, I TOLD YOU!" Nicole screamed at Richard, who was trying to get the car to move. "Mmm Hmm, yeah you did."

"Gumball is too young, I should've waited till Sixteen!" Nicole critiqued, much to the already built up agony of Gumball, who didn't even fully understand what was going on.

'_All of this, is none of my fault Mom! You're the one barging around, and Jamie with the stupid attitude, Mom, you stupid fu-' _Gumball blinked, immediately wiping out what he was about to think. _'Shit, I can't believe I nearly called my Mom a fuck.' _Gumball sighed and looked over at Darwin who seemed to be preoccupied with staring at the floor_. 'Maybe I have gotten worse.'_

"As for talking to Jamie? You're out of your mind, Gumball!" Nicole shouted at him, yet still looking forwards in the front seat. Gumball frowned in confusion, sure he hadn't said anything.

"The first thing I'll do is have their number blocked!" Nicole said, before butting Richard on the arm who was more concerned with the poor state of the unresponsive car. Then Nicole thought for a second before remembering something else.

"AND, both yours and Darwin's Elmorebook will be shut off!" She screamed.

"Wait, what!" Darwin cried.

"Don't even start with me, Darwin!" Nicole screamed, glaring at him through the mirror. "You're the one who left the car and probably encouraged Gumball to continue!"

'_You have got to be kidding me! __**GUMBALL!**_' Darwin rubbed his head in confusion before sending an angry glance at Gumball, who responded by rolling his eyes. Darwin was already at his breaking point with Gumball's eye rolling.

"Anais, the minute we get home I want to see you shut their accounts down!" Nicole demanded.

"I tried to get Gumball for you, Mrs. Mom!" Darwin argued, despite being warned otherwise. Nicole glared at him before giving out a skeptical chuckle. "GOOD JOB, DARWIN!" She screamed, rhetorically.

"Hey, I'M NOT THE ONE WHO RAN ALL THE WAY OVER HERE!" He shouted, almost unrecognizably as Darwin typically wouldn't argue against his mother or scream in this cruelty. "Don't you get it Darwin?" Gumball said angrily at the fish.

"**NOBODY ASKED YOU TO GET OUT THE CAR!"** Both Gumball and Nicole screamed in unison, Nicole however didn't seem to notice Gumball at all and burned her eyes into Darwin's. The fish scarcely glanced back and forth between his glaring mother and glaring brother before closing his eyes and staring back at the ground, letting out a angered sigh. _'Gang up on me? And the same Gumball who whined about it when the roles were reversed back in the kitchen that one time, I can't believe it!'_

"Anais isn't here." Gumball said.

"This is some utter crap!" Darwin muttered.

"Hey I got it working now!" Richard cheered, hearing the motor roar and the car shake. The radio automatically turned on and some NFL talk-show was on. Nicole sighed and wiped her forehead before pulling down the buckle of her seat, until something hit her.

"Wait, Gumball what did you say?" Nicole asked.

"Hmmm? Oh, Anais is gone or something." Gumball said casually, quickly looking around the car. Nicole sat there, blinking before looking around instinctively. "Is she outside?" Nicole asked, surprisingly calm but with obvious concern.

"She didn't come outside, did she Darwin?" Gumball asked.

"How should I know!" Darwin shouted at him.

"Oh go cry somewhere else!" Gumball said, irritated.

"No boys, this is serious." Nicole said before turning to her husband. "Honey, did Anais leave the car?" Richard shrugged. "I was asleep, I don't remember her going anywhere." Nicole sighed before unbuckling her seat belt and getting out the car, looking around the broad neighborhood. As her eyes searched around, her heart started to pump faster and her stomach fill lighter.

Nicole quickly shoved her head back in the car and looked around, thinking she might have missed her.

"She's gone!" Nicole said, a little loudly.

Gumball got out the car along with Richard, and looking quickly around the neighborhood as well.

"No way, she was with Dad the entire time!" Gumball said, confused.

"I thought that too!" Richard said, walking a distance away from the car and carefully looking. Nicole was seriously scared at this point, one of her worst fears becoming a reality. A lost kid.

"Oh my God…where could she be!" Nicole screamed, slamming her door shut and running down the street, before coming to a halt. The family's hearts were beating, now accompanied with a worried Darwin; Nicole felt the size of the street stretch itself away from her. Its vastness was unsearchable, and her daughter slipped right away from her.

"She must be in the house!" Richard said, running towards Denise's front door and knocking wildly. Nicole chased after him and pulled him away from the door, only to violently bang on it herself. "OPEN UP!" Nicole screamed, "I WANT MY DAUGHTER!"

The wooden door flung open and Denise unconvincingly glared at Nicole and Richard. "I can't believe you'd have the nerve to come back here." Denise said, to which Nicole rudely stepped inside. "Where's my kid?" Nicole shouted, but was stopped by Denise.

"You don't fucking walk into my house like that!" Denise threatened, forcing her out. Nicole held her ground in the doorway, before giving a pleading look. "Okay I'm sorry for whatever I did, but I need my daughter!"

Denise blinked before cocking a brow, "…What?"

"Anais, my daughter, she's missing." Nicole sighed, her voice getting tighter, "Is she inside?" Denise suddenly felt abnormally concerned as she instinctively looked inside the foyer before twisting back to Nicole. "Uh, n-no, she wouldn't be here!" Nicole sighed and scarcely glanced up at Richard, who was shivering a bit.

"Did you see her, anything?" Nicole asked.

"No, she was with Gumball wasn't she?" Denise questioned.

"N-No, she was in the car with Richard the entire time!" Nicole freaked.

"And, your husband…" Denise said glancing up at the curious fat rabbit, "..He didn't see where she went." Richard gulped the saliva in his mouth and looked away as Nicole subconsciously defended him, "It's not his fault; he was asleep and we shouldn't have been out here in the first place."

'_Irresponsible.'_ Denise thought, before remembering something_. '….The black car.'_

"Hey, do you guys remember that Black car?" Denise asked, feeling like she was on to something. Richard shook his head, not remembering at all. Nicole blinked before rubbing her chin; the images of a black car returning to her.

"Yeah, I d-…You don't think that had something to do with it!" Nicole questioned, feeling like she too was onto something.

"The car sat there, idling for a minute I didn't know what it was doing but it was really close to your Pontiac." Denise said, leaving the doorway to grab the portable phone. Nicole looked inside the house to see where she was going, which was to grab the the phone. Denise quickly hopped back and dialed harshly before giving Nicole the phone. It was all a little fast upon realizing that Denise had dialed 911, which Nicole quickly placed up to her ear.

"911, Emergency Services Hotline, what's your emergency." A sweet lady said on the other side of the phone. Nicole began to report what happened, stuttering in her sentences. The 911 lady was being calm, although Nicole sounded like she was on the brink of tears as she answered the questions.

"Okay ma'am, don't you know you must wait at least Twenty-four hours to report someone as lost?"

"I know, b-but I believe she was kidnapped not lost!" Nicole stuttered, suddenly thinking of all the bad things that could've happened. "Do you have reasonable suspicion of this?" The lady asked. Nicole let out an angry sigh, "I saw a suspicious vehicle take something from my car, which was my daughter!" Nicole somewhat lied, "Are you going to help me or not?"

"I'm sorry ma'am, please give your location and we'll be there as soon as possible."

**-Around 7:00pm—**

"Look we've got squads all around this town." The Pink Blue-eyed Doughnut Sheriff explained. "A mouse with sneakers couldn't get out!"

"That isn't very reassuring." Nicole grumbled.

"I'm sorry, but we're doing the best we can an-"

"Well it's not good enough, and its futile!" Denise snarled. Nicole looked up at her and marched right to her face. "Will you cut out your sour mood!"

"No!" Denise shouted, erecting the eyes of a few police officer doughnuts. "You shouldn't have been here in the first place!"

"You're not helping!" Nicole grumbled in defeat, her eyes monitored the officers and neighbors idling around the area. "I can't believe some..common…._South-Thug_, stole my Anais!" Nicole shouted to no one in particular. Denise grinned at that, "A South Thug, you say? Oh we're not civilized enough for you, North-Girl?"

"I didn't mean it like that, but now that you bring it up!" Nicole said, to her perplexed rival. "Your kind of p-"

"As much as I'd love to listen to this, we've just received a report that your daughter….uh….An-nai-is?" The Doughnut sheriff sounded out.

"An-nai-ese!" Nicole corrected, eagerly.

"Yeah, that girl has been located." The doughnut said receiving more information simultaneously, before making a frown. Nicole didn't seem to notice and was happily smiling to herself. Denise however noticed the officer's appalled expression as he listened in on his communicator.

"I uh….can you confirm that?" He stuttered, breathing harshly as he glanced over at Nicole and quickly the other Watterson's who too had grown curious. "And you're s-sure now, c-correct?" The officer said, swinging around to his fellow Officers who also glanced at each other before making little gestures. Suddenly the officers looked downwards upon realization of what the gestures meant.

"Okay, over and out." He said, a little lost with his breath. Nicole, who hadn't noticed, quickly approached the officer and dangled her keys. "I can follow you to the station to pick my little girl up, I'm very thankful for your work!" Denise walked up to the two, a little wary of the obvious discomfort the officer was showing.

"What's wrong, _Cop_?" Denise questioned, aggressively. The doughnut scratched his head before letting out a self-comforting sigh.

"Why do you always have to be so rude?" Nicole asked, her joyful attitude still intact.

"You're blind; he's clearly got something to tell you." Denise said, folding her arms.

"Well, I in fact to have something to report to you." The doughnut said, taking a step forwards and putting themselves inches between each other. Nicole looked up at him, and her smile sunk, suddenly preparing for the worst. She clinched her arms together, as if shielding herself from a breeze and her mind began to rumble, "Wait, what happened?"

"Well, I'm sorry to inform you, I truly am and this hasn't happened in Elmore for ten years but….."

**-At the Police Station—**

"Can I get a status report?" The Cinnamon roll officer said, trying to ignore the loud yet muffled whimpering behind him. The Doughnut Sheriff wiped his eyes before handing over the paper. "Thanks, Shirley wants these copied for the archives."

"Yeah, yeah, how are the Wattersons holding up?" The Sheriff asked, tossing his hat to the hanger. The Cinnamon Roll officer glanced at him before shaking his head, the Sheriff sighed and then shooed him away. The officer left quickly before the Sheriff went back to examining the Medical reports.

"Anais had been transferred here from the Hospital at around Eight o' Six," the Sheriff read out loud before typing it down in a Digital report.

"I wonder if Anais has been released yet from the Evaluation Center." The Sheriff questioned, arising from his seat and walking out to the Express-door to the Evaluation Center. He strolled inside the center, immediately hearing the loud buzzing from the Air conditioner and a simmer from some unidentifiable machine. Five quick-minute doctors were writing down things on clipboards, grabbing cups of Water, and grabbing a couple wipes and medicals.

"Where is she?" The Doughnut Sheriff asked.

"Over there, in the chair." The long band-aid doctor said, almost in a not concerning way. The Sheriff walked through the slightly busy room, the white paint on the wall hurting his eyes, as he stood in front of the pink girl wearing a long white thin robe.

She was looking down and shivering, her pink color seemed to have paled, and there was a noticeable tension between the Sheriff and the girl. She seemed reluctant to even sit in the white colored medical chair, and noticeably, her legs were closed it tight. The Sheriff wasn't even sure if she knew he was standing there, despite casting a shadow over her, or if she was ignoring him, possibly in fear.

"Anais…that is your name right, Anais?" The Sheriff said softly, already knowing the answer.

Predictably, the girl remained silent, and hadn't yet looked up at him.

"Look, my friends and this city call me the Sheriff…..you remember me right?" The Doughnut asked, trying to bend down to see her face, but she was too small.

"I apologize personally for not saving you sooner, but your Mother is here, and so is your Daddy, and siblings." He explained.

Yet again; she was completely still and mute. The Sheriff couldn't help but glance constantly at her bruised legs and how clinched they were, her knees protecting her face while her arms sealed them.

"I've never seen you like this before Anais." He whispered.

The rabbit noticeably squeezed herself tighter, and let out a quick whimper. The Sheriff realized his suddenly poor choice of words, and it's obvious crude double context it referenced. He stood up and backed away, trying to give her some room.

"It's time for you to see your family, Anais, and I know you don't want to get up but I can guarantee you not a hand will touch you." The Sheriff said, yet not getting a response from Anais. He waited, carefully, hoping that she would get up. A little cough emerged from Anais, before she reluctantly stretched her legs aside and arose from the chair.

The Sheriff watched uncomfortably as Anais, still holding her head down, stumbled like a zombie towards the Sheriff who had cleared the path for the girl to follow. She was in obvious pain, despite any treatment on her wounds. The Sheriff felt personally responsible, trying not to squeeze his eyes as she stumbled with each step, obvious pains in her nether regions.

Nicole was sobbing loudly as Richard covered his wet face with his arm, not wanting to hear any more of the bad news. The Children were standing outside, still unaware of the news but knowledgeable of the obscurity. Denise hadn't come along either, upon Nicole's request. She was rather angry to find out Nicole wasn't willing to bring her along. One of the custered filled doughnuts continuously explained the situation, aware it only increased the volume of the crying.

"Don't tell me anymore!" Nicole cried, clinging on to Richard. "Just t-tell me where she is!"

"Nicole!" The Sheriff shouted, grabbing the weeping mother's attention. Right beside him was Anais, still in an obvious state of shock and her eyes glued to the floor. Nicole instinctively made a rush towards her, but Richard quickly held her back.

"Don't, you'll scare her!" Richard warned.

"ANAIS!" Nicole cried, feeling a sudden heaviness in her knees. Richard turned around and quickly blew his nose with his shirt, aware his face was red and self-conscious about his open crying. The Sheriff gave a quick nudge to Anais, but the girl almost painfully, jerked away.

The Sheriff questioned to himself if he should proceed or simply go back into the office. Suddenly, the large amount of officers and medics whom were huddled in the lobby because inconsiderate, and the Doughnut Sheriff waved his hands for them to disperse.

"Get out of here, go!" The Sheriff cried, motioning for people to leave. "Give the Wattersons some space folks, keep your muttering to a minimum!" The doughnuts and medics began to walk into different doors, simply trying to get away and entering doors they weren't even designated to enter. The small County Officer's Lobby emptied quickly, followed by a series of shutting doors and desperate to busy themselves, type chatter.

As it grew quiet, with the sounds of the room being only that of Nicole's sobering and Richard's ever quieter sobering, the Sheriff felt obliged to get these people home as his training instructed. The Sheriff wasn't willing to go near Anais, who was about maybe four feet away and shivering with her eyes continuously gazing at the floor.

"Anais, I don't want to rush you, and w-we're all here for you, but you must go back to your parents." The Sheriff Doughnut explained, trying to hold back his own subjective emotions which were certainly frowned upon in Police psychological rules.

"I'm sorry for what happened and that….unspeakable horror o-"

Anais noticeably flinched.

"-Uh, the u-unspeakable hor-horror, of um…..y'know, but I uh…..um…." The Sheriff quickly wiped his face and clasped his hands together. "You have to go home…y'know what number to call, but your parents are….r-right there!"

Anais lifted her head slightly, and robotically advanced towards her sobbing mother on her knees. She noticeably quenched her shadow hidden face upon each step; the Sheriff looked away and distracted himself by staring at Gumball and Darwin who were on the otherside of the glass front door, their backs to the office.

'_This poor family, those boys….that girl….. I couldn't imagine…..' _The Sheriff thought, seeing Darwin turn around. He hadn't realized it, but Darwin was obviously peeping inside the office, staring at his crying mother and the slowly walking Anais.

'_Oh great, the fish is looking inside now, they don't even know...his eyes got bigger, he can see his Mom I bet…..DAMMIT, what's he looking at me for?'_ The Sheriff quickly locked eyes with the fish, who then turned back around quickly and leaned on the glass door with his brother who hadn't bothered to turn around.

"Y-Yes, Sheriff."

The Sheriff quickly looked up, along with Richard, both hadn't heard her voice; it sounded almost unrecognizable as she whispered it with an obvious sharp pain in it throat. The Officer wanted to smile, but the recent events wasn't enough, it quickly appeared, then faded, to an almost tearful frown. His lips jiggled, trying to hold back his tears, having known the Wattersons for quite a while. The Sheriff then quickly glanced at the front glass door, the two boys still not looking inside.

Nicole slowly looked at her daughter's face, Anais now standing right in front of the crying mother. The Sheriff knew Nicole had an exclusive view of her face, which he could barely see. Nicole stared at her daughter, her face darkened by an ever persistent shadow, but her eyebrows sadly pushing down her eyes and straight neutral shape for her lips. She looked almost shellshocked, like she was focusing, or totally blanked out.

The feline instinctively brought a hand upwards, to cup her obviously bruised cheek, in which Anais responded by slapping it away.

***WHACK***

Nicole's eyes grew large, and Anais' frown ever more glaring as her head shook slightly, and she took a step back. The men in the room could hear the noise, staring at Anais as well. Nicole's eyes watered even harder, _'They hit you…'_

Anais sunk into Nicole's scared and frustrated eyes, her emotions fluttering as she recognized her mother finally, her tears pouring over her dry cheeks. Nicole instinctively looked at her white medical dress, and reached out and clasped Anais' hand.

"M-Mom…..Mommy…..I-"

Nicole then jumped at her and locked herself with her in a hug, squeezing tight and rocking the little girl. "Dammit, my child! My little girl….I'm so s-sorry, my little girl! I'm sooo sorry!" She wept, suddenly finding comfort for once. "I'm sorry Anais, I'm so sorry, I can't believe it!"

**-Outside, 8:45pm-**

"What's going on?"

"I don't know, but Mrs. Mom is crying and that's all I could make out."

The Brothers had been standing outside for about an half hour, growing ever tired of Nicole's stupid request to stay outside. They were speculating on what happened to Anais, after of course, a series of insults earlier about whoever's fault it was.

"Can you give more specifics?" Gumball asked, observing the glowing fog on the horizon of the hill, illuminated by the moonlight. From the Police Station, they had a nice view of the valley and the hills in the far background of Elmore. The Police Station was on an odd hill, similar to Elmore Jr. High, easy to locate and easy to see the city.

"Anais is out there, I think." Darwin added.

"She is? What's she look like?" Gumball questioned quickly.

"I dunno, she was wearing some white dress I think, the ones girls in the Hospital wear." Darwin explained, personally wishing Gumball would take a quick glance himself.

"Look again." Gumball demanded.

"No way, the Sheriff keeps staring back at me!" Darwin whined, looking up at the tiny useless roof over the doorway with a built in light, attracting all types of flies that circled it, giving Darwin the creeps.

"I just want to get out of here man, its dark and its cold!" Darwin complained, hearing a door close as three chattering doughnuts walked to their cars in the dark, only visible by the occasional street light in the parking lot.

"Yeah man, that girl was torn up!"

"Sho was! Hey, the boss still in there?"

"Yeah I gu-…guys wait a minute, that's the Watterson's kids!"

Gumball and Darwin looked up at the officers, suddenly curious but remaining quite. The three policemen stood there before somewhat motioning a _'goodbye'_ to each other as car locks beeped and they scattered away.

"They were talking 'bout us." Darwin pouted, "What a bunch of weirdos."

"Dude, did they say that girl was _warmed up_?" Gumball questioned, "By that girl, I think they mean Anais, Is Anais warm?" Darwin nodded irritably.

"For cat ears, you sure hear like crap." Darwin explained.

"What!?"

"Look, he said, _'the girl was four or up'_, which is correct as Anais is four." Darwin explained.

"…..You idiot, that's not even remotely what he said!" Gumball whined, slapping him beside the head. Darwin stumbled back and stuck out his tongue. "Did too, he clearly said she was '_four or up'_, paraphrasing a bit though."

"He said she was _'warmed up'_, saying you're _four or up_ doesn't make any sense." Gumball scolded, heating up the argument. "Yes it does because Anais is four, and if they didn't know she could be above four, dummy!"

"That's wrong!" Gumball cried in frustration. "He said warm, look for yourself!"

Darwin quickly turned his face to the glass and then swung right back, getting a quick glance. "Okay I did it." Gumball waited for an answer, before sighing, "Well? Warm or not!"

"Well I um…..wait, what's warm look like?" Darwin questioned.

"Oh my God, dude…." Gumball held his head in his palm.

"You're hell-a whack!" Darwin said, shooing him away.

Suddenly, Darwin was carefully pushed aside by the glass door. He quickly adjusted and stepped away, along with Gumball who looked at the Sheriff stepped outside and carefully close the door. Gumball and Darwin glanced at each other before looking up at the obviously disturbed Sheriff.

"Well Officer, what's up?" Darwin asked.

"Yeah, how bad are we talking?" Gumball question, bring up his fingers and counting down his list, "Was it a forced robbery? No. Shootout? No, no, I would've heard it. How about a smuggling of illegal arms an-"

"Actually Gumball, it's a little harsher than that." The Sheriff said, scratching his frosting covered temple.

"Oh, worse than illegal arms smuggling?" Darwin asked, before looking over at Gumball, "I mean I guess that's not as bad as illegal ear smuggling."

"Dummy, that's not what I meant by _'arms'_!" Gumball spat, "I'm talking guns and bombs an-" The Sheriff raised his hand, immediately silencing the easily distracted duo. He took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled, squeezing his fist together.

"I'm not going to say,'_ there is no easy way to say this',_ because there is, and it only takes a word to say." The Sheriff began, quickly gathering the attention of the Watterson boys. He made an audible gulp before trying to simply spit it out.

"L-Look, Anais was captured, an-and….we uh….were c-called an-"

"Dude, just say it, you're spitting all over us." Gumball said, wiping a wad from his cheek.

"Well….Gumball…"

The cat nodded, motioning with his hand to continue.

"…And Darwin…"

The fish merely blinked, innocently anticipating.

"…Anais, has been raped."

**-Back at Jamie's House—**

"What happened to Anais?" Kieara asked Princess who shrugged and jumped in her bed, pulling up her covers and grabbing a comic book.

"Going to bed hella early, jeez." Kieara whined, going to the mirror to comb her hair.

"I wanted to go to on vacation, so I've been thinking about locations." Princess explained, reading off different locations she had highlighted in her book. Kieara sighed and sat on her bed, still combing her bright red hair. "Momma isn't taking us anywhere, not with Daddy around."

"Dad is not around." Jamie groaned, walking inside. "Hey Kieara, the next time some shit goes down with the Cops and Anais can you please TELL ME!" Kieara rolled her eyes and combed the knots in the hair, out.

"I didn't know either, I was busy comforting you, and I got there late. You disappeared." Kieara explained. "I was in the backyard, duh!" Jamie scolded, leaning on the door frame. "So, what's new with Mom?"

"Nothin', hasn't bucked yet." Kieara said, looking over at Princess.

"Dammit, her mouth is glued." Jamie whined. "She won't tell us what happened to Anais for nothing."

"Princess, you over hear anything?" Kieara asked.

"Nope, nothin' you don't know already." Princess yanwed, tucking herself slightly below the sheets. "Tomorrow, will you help me write a card?" Kieara and Jamie exchanged glances before frowning,

"Wait, ME?" They said in unison.

"One of you, probably Jamie, she's the oldest." Princess said cutely, letting her eyelids flow down and cover her sight. "You heard the girl, it's your problem." Kieara teased, hopping of Princess' bed and walking to her own. "It's alright, unlike you I can actually read and write." Jamie teased, shutting the door.

Kieara got on her bed, conveniently next to the only window in the room. The lights shut off, presumably by Jamie, and the room glowed blue again. The glass rumbled, catching Kieara's attention as a silhouette jet slowly passed by the view from the window, making a semi-loud muffled noise. This window often made her feel safe, oddly enough with the sight of clouds and the backyard tree and the moon, made the girls relax. Too bad tonight wasn't the night to relax, and one of them knew it.

Kieara stripped under her covers, preferring to sleep naked during this heatwave and clothes in general often became an annoyance when tossing and turning. Jamie jumped into her usual nightly attire of a t-shirt and short-shorts.

"Don't have any wet-dreams about Gumball," Kieara teased, closing her eyes and resting against her pillow.

"The last thing I want to dream about is Gumball." Jamie groaned, glancing over at the clock and watching the red neon numbers of 8:59pm switching to 9:00pm. "Going to sleep early, huh?"

"Oh yeah, I heard about that, what happened with you and Gumball?" Kieara asked, suddenly opening her eyes. Jamie rolled her eyes and jumped in her bed, unfortunately not made up with the bedsheet crinkled up. _'Ugh, I hate making up this bed.'_

"I uh, got into a fight with him." Jamie said, jumping back out and pulling the heavy covers off. Kieara grinned, knowing it would be hard to get a word out of her. "A fight? Like an argument, about what?"

"None of your bussi-"

"Gumball touched Jamie, she got mad," Princess softly explained.

"You can never keep your mouth shut, can you?" Jamie asked, slightly irritated.

"Whatever," Princess smiled.

"He touched you, like he wanted to '_ugh' _you?" Kieara asked. Jamie blushed as she bent over and pulled the bedsheet on the mattress. "What does '_ugh'_, mean?" Jamie asked, just trying to distract the topic. Kieara frowned and Princess perked up, "A fight, maybe?"

"No," Kieara groaned, looking over at Princess before shaking her head back and forth. "Didn't want to say it in front of the brat, but whatever, was he trying to _fuck _you?" Princess immediately giggled and Jamie shot her head up, embarrassed whenever such a topic aroused.

"W-What! No!" Jamie cried, "Why's everything got to be sex with you?"

"Hey, you're the one's groping each other from time to time, just tryin' to get a foot in the door here." Kieara defended, sinking her head back into the pillows. "Well no, you're wrong. He touched me…and I don't think he was trying to fuck me or anything bu-"

"But what, so you don't know?" Kieara asked.

"Well, I mean he touched me oddly and-"

"So why else would somebody touch you like that?" Kieara asked, rolling her eyes at the stupid subject. "He wants you in his bed, J."

"Well duh, I mean what boy doesn't want that!" Jamie shot, "But that's not the point!"

"What is?"

"The point is, he kept saying we're all paranoid about this and the whole 'gun' thing ticked him off." Jamie explained, irritated by the thought of it. "And he doubted my Dad's involvement."

"Wait, so now you think Dad did it?" Kieara asked, "Earlier you said we were the ones being paranoid!"

"Well yeah I know, but I'm not throwing away the possibly, y'know?" Jamie embarrassingly said, suddenly finding a flaw in her argument, and Kieara nailed it. "But you didn't say that, you said Dad wasn't even remotely involved, then when arguing with Gumball you say he is?"

"I didn't say he was, I just said don't rule him out." Jamie said in self-defense, something that Kieara completely ignored.

"Yeah right, you just like to disagree with people, you don't know what to believe!" Kieara humorously stated. Jamie's expression turned into a sour frown at this statement, not growing accustom to playing the fool.

"Let's end the conversation here." Jamie groaned, jumping into her now fixed bed. "Before a certain someone gets a black eye tonight."

"It's okay Jamie, y'know the only way to make it up to him is to _do it_." Kieara teased, anticipating Jamie's response.

"…"

"HAH! You're even willing to _do it_!" Kieara laughed, noting that Jamie hadn't said anything.

"You're unbelievable." Jamie groaned, dropping her head into the soft pillows_. 'As for Gumball, I don't even know where to begin, and whatever happened to Anais won't help…..wait a minute.'_

"Guys, do you think Dad might have had something to do with Anais' kidnapping thing?" Jamie asked.

"Eh, no…..Dad's too smart to get caught an hour or two after Anais goes missing." Kieara said, shooting down that idea. Jamie grinned before thinking back to Denise's attitude, "So why was Mom so secretive about what happened to Anais?"

"…..I don't know." Kieara said before considering the options, suddenly scared by the Father possibility. "Oh no no no, Mom surely wouldn't tell us!"

"Why not?" Princess asked.

"She wouldn't want us scared, that's why!" Kieara said, popping her upper body out the bed. Jamie looked over at her, even more scared now. "You're thinking its Dad, aren't you?" Jamie asked.

"Aren't you?" Kieara asked, suddenly looking around and feeling uncomfortable.

"Possibly." Jamie whispered.

Upon hearing this, Kieara quickly stood up on her bed and locked the previously unlocked but closed window. Jamie and Princess watched her as she then untied the bow holding the thick orange curtains to the side, letting them fall and cover the window.

Immediately, the moonlight was blocked, and the room went to pitch black. Kieara sighed as she fell back into the bed, feeling the bed to pull the covers back and crawl inside them. She then heard a pair of feet walk over to the only light visible from the room, the hallway light seeping below the closed door.

"Jamie?" Kieara asked.

"It's me, I think Mom is going to bed early too, so I'm shutting off the lights and locking the door." Jamie explained, opening the bedroom door and blasting a focused rectangular light onto the floor of the room. Princess frowned, trying to close her eyes from the bright light in the hallway, "We're way too jumpy, I always feel safe."

"That's you, you're too stupid to get what's going on." Kieara said, coldly.

"You're stupid! We live in California, and it's a small city! We're totally fine!" Princess's small voice bolstered, angry that Kieara dismissed her so harshly. "Living in California doesn't change much Princess, Dad has no boundaries and it's not our fault you were too young to remember him!"

Suddenly the Hallway lights shut off and the room turned pitch black again, followed by the sound of the door shutting and a locking noise. Jamie personally felt significantly safer, oddly enough, being so isolated was comfortable to the girls.

"Dad has no boundaries Princess, didn't he run off to Mexico anyways?" Jamie asked, a question centered to Kieara.

"No, it's um…..that other country, uh starts with a C? I forgot." Kieara said, tiredly. Jamie blinked, not knowing the answer, "How'd you know?" Kieara shrugged, "Mom told me once, but I remember it's like a C or something…..Columbia? No."

"China?" Jamie asked.

"No, I would've remembered China." Kieara said.

"Chile! I always wanted to go to Chile!" Princess laughed.

"No that's not it." Kieara said before letting out a sigh, "Oh whatever, no matter what it is, maybe the Congo or Czech, he could come back." Jamie sighed before flopping down on a pillow, trying to think of the possibilities with him back. "I think we know he's back, there's no white washing it."

"Yeah…." Kieara groaned, "I can't wait to see his slimy face."

The girls drifted to sleep, with Princess resting soundly. Ready for dreamland, she was a lot more relaxed than her counterparts. Jamie was busy worrying if Gumball would break up with her, actually considering sex as an apology. Then her mind switched to what her father could've done to Anais, if it actually was her father. Kieara was concerned solely with how to counter her father, and if he returned, how to react. She kept flashing back to her mother talking on the phone, and…..

"Canada!" Kieara cheered.

"Hmm…what?" Jamie groaned, getting Princess' attention as well. "The nation was Canada, I remember it now!" Princess frowned and Jamie grinned, "Canada, why'd he go there?" Kieara sighed before telling Jamie she obviously wouldn't know.

"Where's Canada?" Princess asked. "I've never heard of it."

"It's um….I don't know, up there somewhere." Kieara groaned.

"It's up North, it's um….a little boring country, not very exciting." Jamie explained, using her limited knowledge on the subject. "Oh….is it like California?" Princess asked.

"No, I just said it was boring, jeez," Jamie groaned. "Boring and cold, if we went you'd miss Cali cities in a day, as usual."

"We should go!" Princess announced, already singing the country's name in her head, _'Ca-na-da! Ca-na-da!'_

"Every single time you learn about a new place you want to go there." Kieara said.

"What can I say, I want to be a traveler when I grow up!"

**-Outside the Police Station, 9:33pm-**

"…..She's been_ raped_?"

"Yes Gumball, you know what that means….right?"

"Y-Yes Sheriff, I do."

"Do you know what raped means, Darwin?"

"No…..like what, mugged?"

"Um, buddy, lean in for a second."

Gumball wrapped his arm around Darwin's body and whispered what the word meant, and it didn't take long as Darwin's pupils shrunk upon realization. The fish then looked up at the Sheriff before quickly back at the rather stunned cat.

"W-Who would do that!" Darwin questioned, feeling incredibly cold. Gumball looked at the fish before back at the Sheriff, "…W-Well, who did it!" The Sheriff was reluctant to give them the answer, but the last thing they needed was a lie.

"We're looking all over Elmore and surrounding cities, but we haven't found him."

"WHAT!" Darwin screamed.

"Seriously, what the hell!" Gumball screamed, angry at the Sheriff. The Doughnut expected this, but remained quiet, knowing it was an adolescent reaction.

"Call the FBI!" Gumball demanded.

"Get the CIA, get a Drone!" Darwin added.

"Contact President Obama, DO SOMETHING!" They said in unison, taking their anger out on the Sheriff. The officer sighed, feeling as if he need a quick drink, "If I could call the White House, I would, but this is a police matter and-"

"ANAIS WAS RAPED!" Gumball reminded him, loudly_. 'Somebody…..put their thing in my sister!'_ Darwin shifted his eyes beyond the glass door and looked at his mother, hugging what he presumed was Anais.

"What did they do to her, besides the obvious?" Darwin asked, feeling somewhat unstable. Gumball clinched when he said that, he wasn't sure if he was ready for the details. The Sheriff shook his body, implying that was a '_no-no.'_

"That's not happening, you kids are too young for the details." The Sheriff explained, turning around and putting his hand on the door handle. Darwin wasn't having any of it.

"DON'T TURN YOUR BACK TO ME!"

The Sheriff shook, hearing the unfamiliar voice of an agitated Darwin Watterson. Gumball was angry too, but was in too deep of thought to be totally concerned with Darwin. He didn't turn around, and wasn't willing to give information either.

"I know you're mad, both of you." He said, face till turned away. "But I won't tell you the details, and that's it."

Darwin and Gumball were in utter shock, being denied what they both believed was rightfully their duty to know was almost insulting. More importantly, it had Gumball questioning the officer and the other policemen.

"Why did she even get raped, was it Sal again?" Gumball asked, thinking of the Fingerprint. "No, we don't think so. This normally isn't his kind of business."

"There are no other profiled criminals in Elmore in the streets!" Darwin shouted at the Sheriff.

"Which means, besides the couple of child molesters, you don't have a clue!" Gumball added, anger levels rising upon realization that the criminal had slipped away. The Sheriff was surprised, if not impressed by their deduction skills, but it was the result of their sister losing her innocence.

"This doesn't feel right, not at all." Gumball told Darwin, who seemed to have been shivering from either the cold or the sheer amount awful news he just received. "What do we do now?" Darwin asked.

"It's late, I'll have your family come out here." The Sheriff said, swinging the door open and walking inside.

"I can't believe this….that some man would…..do that to our Anais!" Darwin cried, covering his face.

'_Could Jamie be right…..was it really…' _Gumball thought, watching the Sheriff through the glass doors.

See you in Chapter 3.

AN: Sorry this took such a long time to make, I truly thought halfway through typing this that this story was useless, I had lost to inspiration to continue and while in Europe I sorta just stopped. But no, I found reason to continue it now. I have a clear vision of what this story will be about, and I can guarantee such a delay won't happen again.

AN 2#: For those wondering, the Lemon story; "My New Family: Process" I have decided is an alternate ending to the First story. That story and this one do not fit on the same timeline, so either you continue with this likely trilogy, or you make up another based on that one story. Reason being, in the Story Jamie clearly explains crucial information which contradicts this one, so I've decided to simply butt it out. It wasn't really meant to be canon anyways.


	3. An Orgy of Bullets

**Chapter 3: An Orgy of Bullets**

Gumball and Darwin stared scarcely at their sister as she walked by, guarded by their larger parents but her lack of energy and inability to look upwards was visible to the boys. Richard looked at the two and pulled out the keys, "Go to the car, boys."

Gumball was hesitant to ask a question, knowing Nicole was often irritated with him, he remained quiet. Darwin on the other hand felt a sudden tingle in his spine as walked lifelessly to the car, his fins numbing as he sloppily opened the door. Gumball's eyes analyzed his fish brother as he oddly held the door open for him, Darwin was staring off into space.

"Are you okay, Darwin?" Gumball asked quietly, being considerate of the three behind him. Darwin's gaze panned over to Gumball's stare before snapping out of it. "Oh, um what?" He asked, confused.

"…..Thanks for holding the door, is what I said." Gumball lied, cocking a brow before glancing back at the three and entering the car. He crawled on the cream fabric seats, the car itself was slightly cold and smelled like carpet cleaner. Gumball sat on the far left, behind the driver's seat and buckled himself in.

"Okay Anais, you go in now." Nicole's strained voice said, unintentionally softly.

"Take your time honey." Richard added, uselessly but trying to be considerate.

Gumball glanced over at the open door to his right, and quickly caught sight of Anais' grey eyes and her lifeless stare at him. The cat, frightened, jerked his head back and stared at seat instead._ 'Holy shit, what the heck?!' _Gumball thought, trying to block the image of what was an almost lifeless, destroyed, helpless glare.

Gumball could hear Anais' shuffling as she climbed into the car, Nicole and Richard were a little stunned when Anais didn't bother to pull her medical skirt down before doing so, giving a quick glance but darkened sight of her undergarments. Darwin had looked away, confused as to why she didn't cover better.

'_Oh my God, she's lost her decency,'_ Nicole thought, crying upon realization that this could be the sign of a serious depression.

'_It's like a totally different person, who the hell is she?'_ Gumball wondered, watching the fragile pink rabbit buckle herself in. Gumball could feel the tension between him and Anais, an uncomfortable pressure between the two siblings. Nicole motioned for Darwin to get in, but the fish was reluctant to scare her so he closed his eyes and crawled in.

Nicole and Richard got into their respective seats, while Gumball and Darwin stared forcefully out their window's to avoid any staring at Anais. Richard pulled the car out the parking lot and drove off, an air of silence filled the car. With each flash of light from the streetlights could Darwin see Anais' monotone face in the reflection, a sense of guilt distorting his mood. His fins began to tap his leg uncomfortably, his lips trying to form a casual question.

"Don't do it, Darwin."

Everyone, besides Anais, quickly glanced at the source of the voice which belonged to Gumball. The cat sighed, ignoring the stares of Nicole and Richard's through the mirror; he focused his voice towards Darwin deliberately.

"We'll deal with it later," Gumball announced, subtly hinting towards Darwin to remain calm. Nicole was going to question his comment, but found a lack of voice from her insides. The air of the car was too thick and odd to actually speak-somehow Gumball managing to do it wasn't convincing for her.

"…..No, I won't." Darwin said, a little quietly but loudly to the attention of the car. Even Anais noticeably twitched her head in that direction, still staring downwards but obviously listening.

"I'm tired," Darwin said, a little angrily before making a sharp glare at Gumball.

"I'm tired of you!" Darwin said towards Gumball, raising his voice, then focusing his eyes towards Richard's dismayed eyes in the rear-view mirror. "I'm tired of you, too!" Predictably his almost reddening eyes shot at Nicole's cowardly ones, unable to accurately handle the situation.

"Mom, I'm REALLY tired of YOU!"

The fish then pointed inconsiderately to the lifeless state of Anais, who only showed of hint of interest.

"Every single time something _fucks_ with us we wait around and do NOTHING!"

Richard's foot accidentally accelerated the car upon hearing Darwin use such language, unaware he even understood it. Everyone, besides Anais, stared intensely at him—Gumball questioning if he should jump in or stay quite. Darwin's eyes seem more focused towards Nicole's, which dwarfed her self-esteem as a parent.

"This is just like the time you slapped Gumball, he went away and then we waited for him to come back! We should've simply grabbed him back, or told him to come with us!" Darwin explained, obviously exhausted by something. Nicole looked down before turning back in her seat, haunted by his unrecognizable glare.

"And don't you feel good Gumball, you couldn't talk it out, you WAITED AND RUINED EVERYTHING AT THAT DINNER!" Darwin scolded, to which Gumball quickly defended himself-or at least attempt to. "Hey! I didn't wait, it was the night o-"

"IDIOT! YOU LIED TO MOM!" Darwin screamed, reinforcing his argument. Loudly.

"But Anais and I, we we-"

"And then you blame her when she sits right next to you, violated!" Darwin growled, slamming his fin on his car-door elbow rest. "FUCK YOU!" The sound made an extremely noticeable bang, coupled with another round of foul language, caused the majority of the car to freak out.

Gumball wasn't taking this to well-certainly mad but not enough to scream like a maniac without looking silly, and he wasn't calm enough to simply let it go without a second's thought. To be frank, he wanted nothing more than to, _'Beat that little shit on the spot!'_ Gumball thought, doing nothing more than stare at his feet.

"Mom…." Gumball muttered, realizing nobody had said anything against Darwin. Richard painfully clinched his face, trying to drive while appearing invisible to Darwin's targets.

"Gumball, Darwin…" Nicole shuttered, trying to create the appropriate response. "Don't fight, and Darwin, please don't sa-"

"Oh don't start Mom!" Darwin quickly engaged, startling the Mother. "The whole reason why Anais got raped was because that idiot left the car!" Gumball was at his breaking point with the name calling, and although appeared reserved on the outside, was contemplating on the most logical response.

"Excuse me, you followed me and left her unprotected," Gumball said, surprisingly calm. Such calmness that only disturbed the mute Anais, who knew Gumball well enough to realize that something bad was about to happen, "Well I- uh, dunno, I uh-," Darwin stuttered.

"That wasn't a question, that was a statement," Gumball stated sternly.

"That's true, Darwin." Nicole agreed, not even realizing she had said that.

"Oh, so trying to FIX THE PROBLEM IS A BAD THING?" Darwin screamed, sensing the familiar ganging up of Nicole and Gumball from earlier. Something about them in particular, made him feel alien. He didn't understand why, but seeing Gumball and Nicole, two blue cats, with jumpy attitudes, patronize him simply didn't work well.

To ease the uncomfortable tension, Nicole promptly placed her hand on the radio knob, "Does anyone mind the radio on?" Richard shook his head, welcoming something to distract from the situation. "Do you have to scream?" Gumball asked, repeatedly scratching the elbow rest with his claws.

"You're the one talking?! You screamed all through-out your family issues! I can't think of a time when you WEREN'T SCREAMING!" Darwin shouted at Gumball, as it was clear to the rest of the car that Darwin was a little out of it. Gumball was ready to burst at him, but somehow managed to keep his calm on the outside. Nicole was surprised at how well Gumball appeared to be calm about it.

"Anais and I are going to run away," Darwin announced, looking over at the girl. The rabbit's ears perked up in surprise as Darwin harshly grabbed her arm, Anais let out an audible shriek as for the first time Gumball saw her face in the light. She was in massive panic, freaking out and overacting as she attempted to escape Darwin's grasp.

"LET GO OF ME!" Anais screamed, again her voice was totally alien to everyone in the car and invoked an angry response from Gumball.

"Pretty please, I need permission to beat the shit out of Darwin," Gumball scowled, knowing it would tick him off—which is what he was after. "Gumball! Stop using that language, that's not funny!" Nicole growled before reaching back and trying to tug Anais away from Darwin. "Darwin! What is wrong with you, you're scaring her!"

"It's like this all the time, I can't give you ten minutes Darwin! Ten freakin' minutes and you just flip!" Gumball shouted , smacking his fist into his hand with each word being spoken. Darwin uncomfortably looked between the two—the feline dominance wasn't a joke—and quickly released Anais from his grip. Anais quickly leaned back and breathed heavily—possibly hyperventilating. Nicole stretched back and made fanning motions with her fingers, trying to calm her down, "It's okay sweetie, it's all fine."

"Darwin, what the hell was that?" Gumball asked, being smarmy towards the now resolved but incredibly angry fish. He folded his arms and angrily huffed to himself, leaning into the car door.

"You grab my sister like that and you're finished dude," Gumball warned, quickly getting a pop in the knee by Nicole who gave him a 'warning' glare before turning back into her seat. "I don't know whats going on in this family anymore!"

"This _fish_ has mood swings every other minute!" Gumball complained. Darwin twitched at the referring to him as a 'fish.' Darwin turned to Gumball, forcing Anais to turn towards Gumball to avoid eye-contact with him.

"My name is Darwin, dipshit," He grumbled, to which Gumball let out a chuckle—surprising everyone at his accidentally outburst.

"E-Excuse me? I named you," Gumball chuckled before rudely pointing at him, "I guess YOU forgot that!" The fish angrily slammed his fin against the elbow rest on the door, causing everyone to flinch and for Richard to quickly pull the car over into an empty lot. Gumball returned his anger with a devilish smirk, one of superiority.

"Get out," Darwin snarled, yanking the handle open and jumping out the car.

"Now we're talkin'," Gumball laughed, opening his door and jumping out.

Nicole and Richard hurriedly looked out their windows, seeing their shadowy figures run around the back of the car and presumably shout at each other. Nicole was quick to try and exit but Richard grabbed her hand, preventing her from leaving.

"Honey, I think the boys should just duke it' out," Richard said, eerily calm.

"Are you serious?" Nicole asked, feeling her insides thump, "I've never seen them so mad! They might kill each other!"

"No they won't, trust me," Richard said, letting out an exhale before looking up in the mirror at Anais—the state of shock now deluded her cute face. Nicole looked at Richard in disbelief but closed her eyes and shuttered, not wanting to deal with anything else tonight. "Richard, it's up to you…..I don't care anymore, about anything."

"I know," Richard sighed.

Gumball enthusiastically walked towards the trunk of the car, where Darwin would bump into him- extending his claws. Darwin sternly met Gumball—greeted with an eye to eye stare off as Gumball began to pump his chest and taunt the fish. Darwin angrily glared at him before letting loose his own insults.

"So talk that shit again, Darwin!" Gumball said, quickly moving his feet back and forth as he then breached Darwin's personal space.

"You're shit, Gumball," Darwin bashed, side-stepping as he moved his feet back and forth—gesturing his acceptance to a fight, "I don't know why anyone fucking likes you! You got Anais r-"

"NO I DIDN'T! YOU DID!" Gumball shouted at him.

"YES YOU DID! YOU LEFT!" Darwin shouted back, throwing his arms in the air. Gumball quickly jumped back at the misplaced gesture, getting even more hostile. "Mom agrees with me, you shouldn't have left the car," Gumball pointed out, pulling up the sleeves on his sweater.

"You shouldn't have left the house," Darwin returned, advancing towards Gumball with the cat standing still, "And I don't care what Mrs. Mom says." Gumball refused to budge from his place as Darwin got even closer to his face, placing his feet an inch from his and leaning in.

"You think you can fight now?" Gumball asked cockily, balling his fists.

"You'll see," Darwin said, immediately swinging his balled fins at Gumball's face. The cat quickly stepped back, almost stumbling at the astonishingly fast speed. Darwin attempt to pounce on him but Gumball side-stepped and swung his fists as Darwin, knocking him right in the back. "Hah!" Gumball laughed, running up on Darwin and throwing his claws at him.

The fish knew it was coming and quickly rushed out of range, evading the knowingly painful claws as he put his leg out—tripping Gumball. The cat painfully fell on the asphalt, his chest and hands colliding with the ground incredibly fast. He cringed as the tingling feeling of pain erupted through his arms, but he quickly ignored it after feeling Darwin's nail him right in the back of the head.

"AH!" Gumball cried, rolling over and attempting to get up but Darwin quickly pushed him back down. "Come on!" Darwin shouted, punching him repeatedly in the head, "WHAT NOW?! ASSHOLE!" Gumball struggled insanely as every solid punch from Darwin resulted in him losing consciousness. The fish was relentless, socking him repeatedly as he could feel his fist grow sore from the punches. Gumball then seemed unresponsive, prompting Darwin to stop and observe him for a second.

'_He's unconscious,' _Darwin presumed, trying to make out the reddened skin in the dark.

"I hate hearing them shout those things," Nicole said, resting her chin on her palm as she spoke helplessly, "I wonder if they learned to cuss from me?" Richard had given up trying to reason with her, staring off at some planes flying back—his mind was filled with guilt over Anais. Anais was slowly regaining her feelings on the issue, but considering 'earlier' events it seemed so miniscule to her.

"I think they're done now," She softly spoke.

Both Richard and Nicole jumped at her voice, quickly turning around to address her and make sure she was okay. "Yes, yes, you're right," Nicole smiled, trying to see past that obnoxiously persistent shadow that hid her face and half her body amongst the moonlight. "Richard, fetch the boys please, they're done," Nicole said, putting on a phony energetic attitude.

"Righ-," Richard's response was cut off by the sound of the door farthest from Anais being yanked open. Everyone but Anais looked over at Darwin who angrily glared at his parents, then drawing his attention away from them and pulling the blue cat into the car.

"What did you do to him?" Nicole asked, getting a flinch from Darwin. He sighed and pulled Gumball's heavy body into the car, Nicole could see that Gumball was completely unresponsive. "I punched him unconscious," Darwin said, jumping into the car and slamming the door, "But I'm sure you think this is all my fault."

"Why would you say that?" Nicole asked.

Darwin ignored her and rested his eyes, trying to cool down from the long day of stupidity and tragedy. Nicole looked behind her, waiting for a response but sighed upon seeing Darwin purposely ignore her and drag himself to rest.

"Nicole, can we leave?" Richard asked, putting his fingers on the keys, "I want to sleep, hopefully without Anais getting kidnapped." Nicole cringed as she realized the guilt Richard obviously expressed, the wife patted him on the shoulder—gesturing for him to leave. Richard twisted the keys and drove the car out the parking lot and back to the house.

The entire ride back home was muted, Nicole had grown worrisome about Anais, Richard was trying to distract himself, Darwin was angry at himself for not inflicting as much damage towards Gumball as he wished, and Gumball had awoken with a large headache and minor bruises. Gumball, upon realizing his quick recovery and minimum pain wanted to mock Darwin for his lack of strength but feared being knocked out again.

The car drove into their sidewalk parking space, a sense of relief filling the car as everyone quickly got out. Nicole slowly helped Anais out the car, thankfully she was more responsive in her facial expressions but she only spoke when needed and her pain was still heavily tainting her walk. After all these events, coming home at 11:00pm in the darkest of night made their home seem so alien to them. Nicole opened the door and slowly walked inside, her body quickly slowed and her mind relaxed.

Everyone quickly rushed in and closed the door, as if to prevent the outside world from coming in. The silence continued and everyone knew it was best to keep it this way, none of them had anything logical to say without making fools of themselves. Gumball and Darwin could feel the tension—less on Gumball's part due to his headache—and walked to their bedrooms, Darwin trying to walk ahead to avoid Gumball awkwardly holding the door open. The fish opened it and rushed in, eager to sleep in his now larger and more comfortable king size fish tank which covered the entire miniature dresser. He kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks, trying his best to ignore Gumball as they got undressed in the dark—only lit by the midnight blue glow.

Darwin climbed up the dressed and turned on his light for his massive rectangular fish tank, thankfully it was a tiny light that wasn't remotely distracting to Gumball. The cat didn't bother with pajamas, feeling the throbbing in his head, he was only concerned with resting his body so the headache would cease.

'_Kicked your ass',_ Darwin thought to himself bitterly, as he stepped in the room temperature water and stretched his feet out in the tank, _'That's revenge for all the shit from the past.'_ Darwin knew it would be in bad taste to brag about it, especially with a smart ass who would likely find some way to comically humiliate him.

Gumball rested his head on the pillow, sleeping naked underneath the covers and shuffling around to rid himself of the itching. The cat immediately felt the ringing motion in his head begin to cease as he relaxed into hibernation.

The door suddenly opened, and the lights were flicked on—irritating both of the boys as they carefully listened to the heavy steps walk in the room. They both were faced the opposite way but knew it was Nicole escorting Anais.

"Listen boys, I don't care what you did but what's important is that Anais needs help," Nicole explained, placing Anais into her bed. Darwin couldn't hear well underwater so he remained quiet as he watched his mother take care of his sister. Gumball remained silent, embarrassed from his beating as he tried to sleep.

"There you go," Nicole sung, pulling up the covers on the unresponsive girl. It was glaringly obvious that the girl—even in the presence of the boys—felt scared when being left alone. Nicole patted her on the head, reassuring her safety, "You're at home sweetie, the boys will protect you." Gumball rolled his eyes at the usage of a plural, denying that Darwin would be of any help whatsoever.

Nicole then walked to the doors and shut off the lights, forgetting to give her goodbyes to the boys as she closed the door. The mother frantically ran outside to the front lawn, taking deep breaths as she embraced the cool air. She finally had time alone to herself, she couldn't think straight with all the awfulness she had to embrace.

But, the time was now to think, to counter-act. She could feel her brain calm before speeding up again, this time putting her focus into something of actual value, returns she was going to inflict.

'_What happened with Anais, won't happen again,'_ Nicole paced even quicker, almost jogging as she formulated actions.

**-The Next Morning—**

Gumball awoke to the sounds of the birds, and the feel of a lightheaded wake-up process. The morning sun highlighted the array of rainbow-like colors in his room, but the heat was the most glaringly obvious. Predictably, it was around 80 degrees, nothing too serious for summer weather. The cat then realized his ache had relieved itself, a sense of confidence arose as he wiggled to the side and jumped out the bunk bed.

Upon landing, his arms flapped in the air, sparking a sharp pain from one of Darwin's attacks through-out his arm. Gumball clinched his fists in regret, quickly remembering their fight and more importantly how he hadn't healed.

"The bastard…." Gumball growled, turning his head over to where Darwin's now empty fish tank was. Gumball was a little stumped knowing Darwin got up before he did, but he quickly let it go and looked over at the digital clock.

"Eleven o' clock?!" He cried, the realization that he wasted about two or three hours of another precious summer day stunned him. He quickly turned around and gathered his short sleeve cream shirt and grey shorts (his normal outfit but alternated for summer), throwing them on the top bunk. He stretched out over the lower bed as he did, before realizing something.

He stepped back and saw Anais, covered by the shadow of the top bunk with her large angrily glaring eyes.

"Morning," He said, not getting a response other than a blink from his sister, "Are you feeling better?" Anais' brow stretched further down as she continued to to hug her covers, "What do you think?" She said, quietly.

"I don't know, that's why I asked you," Gumball said, trying his best not to react madly, greatly pitying her, "I was just being considerate."

Anais didn't respond, yet continuously glared angrily at him in his naked figure. The cat confusingly followed her eyes and then realized she disapproved of his nudity, already abnormal for her. Gumball smiled and quickly pulled up his underwear, then following his pants and muddled his shirt before presenting himself again, "Sorry about that, I didn't think you cared."

"…."

"Well…..um, if you need something j-"

"I'll get Mom," Anais interrupted.

Gumball nodded, unsatisfied with her mood but knowing it was due to the predicament from earlier. He didn't dare mention it, and simply went back to the dresser to comb some of his more longer fur on top of his head and behind his ears—getting a more shiny, rounder shape. Anais watched him, noticeably angry as he sprayed his armpits with deodorant and later his body with cologne.

Gumball could feel her glare on his neck, he didn't understand her unwarranted attitude and only found the rapist responsible.

"I know what that guy did to you," Gumball said, a little indifferently. Anais cocked a brow at the mention of it, she didn't expect him to bring it up.

"Don't worry," Gumball turned to her, a thumbs up extended and a misleadingly large smile, "I'll kill him for you." Anais was mystified at the mention of 'kill' in his sentence, then her expression perked into a scared surprise. Gumball grabbed his bag containing his swim trunks (just in case) and his wallet before exiting, in such an indifferent manner.

Anais looked down at herself before back at the door, uncertainty crept down her shoulders as she debated if she should be happy or tell someone immediately.

Gumball walked down the stairs with a neutral expression on his face, all of his movements felt so unreal and robotic, he hadn't a particular destination to go but he didn't intend to stay home. His mother was absent—perhaps at work—and the living room felt still and empty. Cold remains of breakfast from earlier in the morning remained on the large platter for everyone, it's something Nicole makes when rushing for work.

The cat walked over to it and observed the platter, it always informed him what mood was everyone in and who went where or other aspects about them.

Gumball seeing four croissants together next to a large pile of eggs, mixed with bacon bits inside of it and beside it was a large grease stain. Obviously, Richard had come down and perhaps in guilt, grabbed only the sausages and to not look greedy, refused to eat anything else. Next to Richard's was Darwin's, again the croissants remained, the eggs were eaten and so were the sausage—Darwin's mood was obviously grumpy enough to get some food but left out the starch because he was likely too bitter to eat too much.

'_More for me,'_ Gumball thought, grabbing their bread and chewing on his first piece as he exited the house. Thankfully it still had a good taste, although cold. Gumball walked out the house and through the lawn, likely to relax at the local rose garden park considering nobody went there and Gumball often found solitude there.

He arrived at the pebble decorated stairway, walking up to the little path way surrounded by trees where a circular isolated hole in the middle of the park would be. Gumball prepared himself for the heat by rubbing on lotion as he got closer, considering the fresh air might not be so fresh when he arrived. As the cat made his way through the trees he finally breached the entrance, his little Fortress of Solitude.

"Finally," He mustered, flopping down on the scattered green leaves, resting his head on the towel he placed on the log. Gumball exhaled and relaxed, but he couldn't muster a smile, he was dead serious about what he said to Anais but it bothered him that he was only in the beginning stages of a plan.

'_This guy is steps ahead from me,'_ Gumball thought miserably, before digging in his pockets, _'He likely has a gun too….that means I need one.'_ The cat pulled out some cash and counted the bills, '_Only twenty bucks, I need at least a hundred more.'_

"There you are," Jamie said, walking up from behind the log, unexpectedly for Gumball. Gumball wasn't shocked, but more on annoyed, hoping she wouldn't come to see him today—or even figure out where he was.

"What do you want?" Gumball asked, trying to avoid a conversation. Jamie grinned and flopped beside him, after that night before, contact with anyone besides the Wattersons felt foreign to Gumball.

"I know you're mad at me," Jamie said, admittedly.

"Oh well then perhaps you could leave me alone," Gumball said, looking away from her, knowing she was staring at him. Jamie sighed and knowing she had little options on the table, she tried her best to 'arouse' him. Today, she was wearing a wife beater (like she normally does) but she was also wearing higher up black shorts, which was showing off her thick grey lower-thighs.

"You're in a bad mood," Jamie said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Gumball wasn't aggravated enough to lash out at her, but he refused to return any feelings, "More excellent observations." Gumball could feel her hands rub his shoulder, then slowly padding down to his side. It was a little ticklish but it bothered him on how she was going against his will.

"I guess now isn't the best time for questions about Anais," Jamie sighed, eager to ask,

"I don't know, is it?" Gumball asked, still turned away from her.

"I think it should be, I understand why you're mad at me," Jamie explained, scooting a little closer, getting Gumball's attention. "….Do you intend to apologize?" Jamie grinned and used her other hand to rub her neck, she then used her hand to turn Gumball's head around—surprisingly he did it without resistance.

They both stared at each other and Gumball then realized her slightly more attractive shorts but quickly looked back up at her, "Okay, so?"

"I'm sorry for being an ass and freaking out over nothing," Jamie said bluntly, yet in her tone it was server.

"…..Well jeez, you didn't have to say ass," Gumball said. Jamie looked at him in confusion, _'He's so neutral, I'm not sure if he's mad, or happy…..'_ She shrugged and let out a little grin, "Well it's true, you know it and I do, I was just a little mad." Jamie, seeing his acceptance begin to grow, leaned in and brought her face close to his cheek.

"I know you left without a kiss, I can make it up now," Jamie whispered, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. Gumball grinned before sighing and turning away, "Anais got raped last night, the officers found her and brought her to the hospital."

Jamie at first didn't truly understand what he said, she was too unprepared to comprehend. Gumball looked at her blank expression and then repeated himself, "Anais was raped, y'know, forced to have sex? The cops found her later." Jamie then fully comprehended what he said, not expecting this to be nearly as serious as she thought.

"No way," Jamie whispered, trying to see if Gumball was being serious. The cat's expression didn't change, and Jamie's expression melted into that of disgust. "I can't believe this…Gumball, I'm so sorry!" Gumball frowned at her, "What are you apologizing for, you didn't do anything."

"It was my father, wasn't it?" Jamie asked sternly, gripping his hand with her own.

"We don't know who did it, that's the fucked up part," Gumball said, his head swinging a little as he straightened himself on the log, "Whoever it was, I'm going to kill them." Jamie stared at him for a second before a putting her head down, "I guess I would have the same reaction if that happened to me," Jamie said guiltily, but carefully eyeing Gumball for any weakspots he may show, "I should have looked for her, instead of hoping you'd come back."

Gumball stayed quiet for a minute contemplating what she was saying, "You mean, you wanted me to come back?"

"Of course," Jamie said, rubbing her head, "I was being selfish and blaming you, I got an earful from my sisters." Gumball was a little surprised by her admitting this and couldn't really think of anything to say in return, he blinked and stared at the ground.

"My night was so lonely, you didn't kiss me before leaving and you cursed at me—I can't handle that shit," Jamie groaned, talking more to herself. Gumball quickly looked over at her in surprise, "I didn't mean to, I was just pissed off."

"I know, and I want to make it up to you," Jamie said, leaning her head in towards Gumball. The cat noticed this and turned to her, desperately needing a kiss, "Yeah, I miss making out too."

Their lips collided and their eyes fluttered as they reunited again, both enjoying their opposite's creative tongue. Jamie wasted no time making up for what she did by pleasing him any way she could, Gumball's eyes popped opened at the feel of Jamie's hand massage his crotch—arousing him. Gumball then broke the kiss but leaned his forehead against Jamie's, keeping their lips inches apart.

"_That_ place….," Gumball whispered, catching his breath.

"Yeah, I've been playing with it often, huh?" Jamie joked, rubbing the ever-growing stiff organ through his pants. Gumball then slowly brought his hand and cupped hers, Jamie smiled as she presumed he would please himself using her hand. Gumball however quickly pulled her hand away, placing it on her thigh—Jamie looked up at his eyes as he did it.

"What's wrong?" Jamie asked, scarcely, "Is someone watching?"

"No…..it's just…you realize some bastard…..," Gumball stuttered before pulling away his head and groaning, "You realize some bastard forced this…thing…..inside Anais?" Jamie didn't expect him to bring it up and quickly stopped her provocative routine.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you about it," Jamie said sincerely, immediately trying to dispose of any inappropriate thoughts. Gumball grinned and forcefully wrapped his arm around her, getting Jamie's attention quickly, "No, I'm just acting weird, let's try again."

Gumball then forcefully collided his lips against Jamie's—although careful to not hurt her—and licked at her arousing and lively taste. Jamie's hands again found their way to his lower body, this time paying attention to his stomach as she coped its shape and fiddled with his belt. Gumball realized this and slowly parted his lips, again inches away from her face, "What are you doing?"

"Just playing," Jamie said, looking down as she yanked the belt out.

"…..You know where this normally leads, right?" Gumball asked, putting a hand on her thigh and softly rubbing against her thickness. Jamie then kissed his nose and purred seductively, receiving a playful laugh from Gumball, "You do it like this…..purrrrr…purrrr." Jamie was a little stunned by his realistic purring, never hearing him do it so well before.

"This is why I love cats," Jamie said, sliding her hands down his now loose pants. Gumball was still odd about how she was invoking such blatant sexual acts, having never acted this way before—at least to such an extreme extent.

"You've never acted this bold before," Gumball said, quickly distracted by her hand eagerly rubbing against his erected private through his underwear. Jamie's smile shifted into a frown as she gripped him—forcing him to moan—as Gumball acknowledged her need. "You don't like it when I do this?" Jamie asked, getting an embarrassed smile from Gumball.

"No, no, it's just that…" Gumball dug in his pants and grabbed her own hand, trying to peel her away from his reserved region—pleasure ensuing. Jamie watched him a little humorously as he groaned while trying to pull her hands off his private, creating sexual friction between them. Gumball eventually succeeded and exhaled as he looked up at her, a little disappointingly, "…You know we're not ready, I thought full-clothed groping was cool?"

"Yeah, but how long are we going to do that?" Jamie asked, watching Gumball zip up his pants and re-hook his belt. "Until we're ready, we can start planning but not soon, we can't have sex," Gumball explained, adjusting his clothes and resting his hands on his crossed knees.

"I just wanted to make sure that you didn't think I was being prudish," Jamie explained, making sure the communication was clear, "I mean I WAS, but it was only temporary."

"Well, if you wanted to prove that, all you had to do was allow me to do this," Gumball said, a smile stretching on his face as he reached over and realizing Jamie had no intention of backing up, cupped her left breast. Jamie blinked before feeling his other hand carefully squeeze her right breast, his eyes pierced her own body.

"You like them, obviously," Jamie said, a little indifferently as she stretched her arms back and showed off her round assets through her wife-beater t-shirt—Gumball's hand stuck on. The blue cat was in uncharted territory, and he was tempted to bring this even further as he softly pushed her breasts up, they're impressively developed (for her age) breasts bounced.

"Jesus, I remember when you didn't even wear a shirt 'cause they were so small," Gumball said, amazed as he pulled his hand away, "Well, you can sleep soundly now, I don't think you're prudish, and I'm glad you let me touch them now." Jamie was disappointed that he quitted so early, but the entire time it was obvious that Gumball had something else on his mind. "Yeah, they develop quickly out of nowhere, but hey—you enjoyed them. You should grab them more."

"Usually I've never noticed them, but if they have grown _that_ well so-far, then feel free to not wear a sh-…..wait….Jamie," Gumball suddenly said, his ears jumped up and his hands made 'claw-like' gestures as he looked around. Jamie looked at him, his sudden mood change confusing her, "You sense something with you Pussy-senses?"

"…I'm still not sure if I like being called a pussy or not but…I sense…..someone," Gumball said before looking over his isolated area and spotting Principal Brown swift through the leaves. The couple looked at each other before arising to their feet, curious as to why the Principal would be at this particular park.

"I guess he doesn't normally come over here," Jamie asked, receiving a nod from Gumball. "This scumbag has never been here, ever."

"This doesn't sound like a coincidence," Jamie stated, watching the slug stroll by, unknowingly to Gumball and Jamie. "I bet my father put him up to it," Jamie stated angrily, as Gumball stood up next to her, putting a hand on her shoulder, "We don't know that, don't make any assumptions." Jamie looked over at Gumball with a sarcastic grin, "He hates us, I wouldn't put anything past him." Gumball sighed and glanced over at the slug as he slowly shuffled away, unaware of the two kids.

"Brown!" Principal Brown heard a boy shout, he turned around and groaned. Gumball and Jamie approached him, resembling criminals with their hands in their pocks and a displeased look on their faces.

"What do you want?" Principal Brown asked, irritated by their presence.

"How did you find out about this place?" Gumball asked, circling Principal Brown. The Principal eyed him suspiciously, returning the interrogating stance Gumball was giving off, "Because I wondered off the trail, but what are you doing here?"

"That's none of your business," Jamie exclaimed, standing in front of Brown. The slug glanced at the two children before pulling off his glasses and cleaning them, Gumball and Jamie glanced at each other before Principal Brown finished.

"Your suggestive encounters are already noted by the school system, but more disturbing is your increase in hooliganisms—and I won't hesitate to punish you for it," Principal Brown said, raising the children's eyebrows.

"You already tried this and it didn't work the first time," Gumball noted, pointing his finger at him.

"That doesn't mean you can do whatever you want, I have sufficient evidence this time," Principal Brown argued, with a little smirk.

"But nobody takes you seriously in the school system anymore," Jamie added, much to anger of Principal Brown.

"Excuse me!" He shouted at Jamie, "You don't know anything about what's going on in the school system!" The grey ox laughed, "If only I didn't have Mr. Small as a guardian you might've been right!"

"Wait, you've recorded Jamie and I doing 'hooliganisms' or whatever?" Gumball asked, trying to process what he said earlier. Principal Brown nodded, calming himself, "Yes I have, you don't hide yourselves and it's a public annoyance."

"Does it make you mad that Gumball gets pussy easier than you, old man?" Jamie asked, to the surprise of both males.

"So you're having intercourse with multiple women then?" Principal Brown asked, in disbelief. Gumball slapped Jamie on the elbow, "Don't say that! It's not true!" Principal Brown sighed and tried to walk past Gumball but the cat prevented him, and turning around was futile because Jamie had blocked him in.

"What do you want, Watterson?" Principal Brown asked, rubbing his temples.

"I wanted to know if you knew anything about Anais," Gumball said, getting straight to the point. Principal Brown raises his brows upon hearing her name, "Ah yes, I heard about the young Ms. Watterson's abduction, is she all right?"

"You don't know what happened to her?" Gumball asked.

"No, I don't," Principal Brown said, which sounded light-hearted and almost sarcastic. Gumball and Jamie both eyed him suspiciously as he said that, Principal Brown's expression remained in a solid neutral state.

"But you know about the abduction, right?" Gumball asked, squinting his eyes and twirling his fingers in Brown's direction.

"Yes, that's what I just said, what's your point?" Principal Brown asked, growing even more impatient.

"Hmm….interesting," Gumball said as he walked a little towards the left, thinking as he folded his arms. Both Jamie and Principal Brown were a little confused by Gumball's weird pondering as the blue cat looked over at Principal and smirked, "Well….uh….hmmm…." Principal Brown seemed humored by Gumball's inability to reply. "What's wrong Watterson, cat caught your tongue?"

"No, but I'm a cat, and I caught _your _tongue," Gumball said, his smile melting and a serious glare plastered on his face. Principal Brown didn't seem fazed, "How so?"

"How did you know Anais had been abducted?" Gumball asked, looking over at Principal Brown his smile jiggled a bit before letting out a large grin and leaning towards him, "Well….it was on the news and stuff."

"How was it on the news? The Sheriff said he wouldn't tell anything until they caught the abductor," Gumball said, pushing aside the shitty excuse, "And no news cameras came to talk to us." Jamie then finally realized what Gumball was getting at and she looked up at him in disgust, "You scumbag! You're in on this!" The children noticed Principal's face scrunch into a defensive frown.

"It was a rumor I mean! I didn't pay much attention when I heard it!" Principal Brown exclaimed, adjusting his glasses.

"You're full of shit!" Jamie shouted back, astounded that he would lie on such a sensitive subject, "I can't believe you!" Principal Brown clinched his teeth and brushed past Gumball, almost knocking him over.

"Where are you going!" Gumball shouted at him.

"Away from here, stupid kids!" Principal Brown scolded, "I don't know anything about Anais, leave me the hell alone!"

"I've got you Brown," Gumball replied, likely something he couldn't hear and was more of a reminder to himself, "There's no way Brown could've known." He felt Jamie grip his shoulders and pulled him into her, "Principal Brown is an enemy, of course that bastard knows!" They watched as Principal Brown hurried out of the isolated spot, both feeling awkward from the half-assed interrogation they gave.

"I can't believe he'd stoop so low, I bet he knows who raped Anais," Gumball said, a little out of himself. It finally felt like a foot in the door, it was obvious that things had either slipped by the Police or Principal Brown knew something about it.

Jamie then felt something vibrate in her pocket, she immediately dug in and pulled out her phone—scanning through the new messages.

"Gumball, we've been invited to to a party."

**-Tobais' House 2:30pm—**

"Darwin, you need to relax," Rachel said, slurping a 7-11 Slurpee to combat the heat, "It's too hot to be doing this and I didn't kick Tobias out the house for snarky attitudes."

"Fine, whatever," Darwin exclaimed, getting up out of the rocking chair and standing in front of Rachel who was sitting on the couch. She looked up at him, curious as to what he would do, "Do your parents know you're here?"

"Rachel, this is important!" Darwin said, leaning over and stretching his arms over the sides of the couch, glaring at her, "I need information!"

"I don't know, I didn't do anything with Anais," Rachel explained.

"Yeah, but you know people who might," Darwin explained before looking down at her blue sweaty figure in a t-shirt and bikini bottoms, "But not a lot goes on in Elmore that you don't know about!" Rachel sighed and broke the uncomfortable eye-contact, her hands guided down Darwin to the couch as she moved her feet out the way.

"I'll see if I can find out about stuff, a lot of my friends are coming to the party tonight," Rachel said, putting her lips back on the straw and slurping.

"Good, I need to find out as fast as possible," Darwin said, as he looked away and laid back on the couch, "And whatever you do, please don't get Gumball involved."

"Why not? Why not ask him, I'm sure he and his fuck buddy know plenty of people who did it," Rachel explained, wiping her forehead from the minor glaze of sweat. Darwin sighed and watched Rachel put her feet back on the couch, right next to Darwin but not pushing him off.

"Because…..we got into a fight," Darwin said, staring off but looking in the direction of the ceiling.

"Again?" Rachel asked, a little indifferently, "Tell me something new."

"No, it was a fist fight," Darwin explained, getting Rachel's full attention. She remained quiet as Darwin looked obviously hurt by what he just said, "Gumball and I were pissed because we blamed each other and I thought it was his fault, so he kept challenging me and I walked out and fought him—I won."

"I always knew you were stronger than Gumball," Rachel said, observing Darwin's round body and noticing the slight discoloration, "You took some hits, honey."

"Gumball would've beaten me if it wasn't so dark," Darwin said, feeling Rachel embrace him in a hug, had it not been for his current attitude he would've reacted in glee being invited to play snuggle bunnies due to her intruding assets rubbing on him. "Don't say that about yourself, you kicked his ass," Rachel reassured, looking down at Darwin whose eyes remained glued to the floor.

"I just want to see if you can help me, you know everyone in this city," Darwin explained.

"Of course I would, babe," Rachel said, planting a kiss on his head. Darwin glanced up at her and blushed as she kissed his cheek and rubbed his fin. "R-Rachel!" Darwin stuttered, feeling her rub a hand against his leg, "Oh c'mon, you watch Jamie do the same to Gumball all the time." Darwin didn't really have a response and sat there as she plucked some soft kisses on his lips.

"R-Rachel," Darwin embarrassingly laughed, "Now isn't the time."

"Oh, so there's a time we can do this?" Rachel asked, pulling out her phone and reading something, "Well I uh…."

"Here's a good time, how about tonight at Idaho's party?" Rachel asked, pressing the 'accept' button on her phone, "Besides, if you're really interested in getting this guy, Idaho is the first person I'd see."

"Why?"

"Well…."

**-The Watterson's House, 2:59pm—**

"Can you give me an idea of what he looked like?" Jamie asked.

"I don't know," Anais shuttered.

"What'ta his voice sound like?" Gumball asked.

"I don't know."

"Height? Weight? Anything?" Jamie asked, "I need you to think about this."

"I'm serious, I don't know."

"Do you know where he took yo-"

"I DON'T KNOW! I DON'T REMEMBER! I DON'T WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT!" Anais screamed at Gumball, before running to the bathroom and slamming the door. The two kids didn't even attempt to chase after her, knowing she wouldn't change.

"I knew that wasn't going to work," Gumball sighed, walking outside to the backyard with Jamie. The ox shrugged her shoulders and looked up in the sky, "This is hopeless, doesn't the Police have DNA of the rapist?"

"They didn't find anything," Gumball sighed.

"Or they didn't tell you," Jamie added, quickly glancing over at the house beside Gumball's house. "You think they're hiding stuff from us?" Gumball asked, looking in the other direction. Jamie looked up at the window of the neighboring house, seeing the old man named Mr. Robinson stare at her from his window on the 2nd floor. Jamie's eyes uncomfortably locked with his calm ones, a little smile stretched on his lips as well. He stood like a statue, staring at Jamie in such an authoritarian matter—with a sense of humor.

"Jamie?" Gumball asked, looking over at her, "Do you think they're hiding stuff from us?"

"Uhh…" Jamie stuttered, looking over at Gumball, "Gumball, I never asked but who lives next to you?" Gumball immediately glanced up at the house—missing Mr. Robinson—then returning his attention to Jamie, "That's the Robinson's House, they're pretty awesome people."

Jamie blinked at such a positive statement, before looking back at the large window with Mr. Robinson still smiling at her, in an almost satanic manner. "Why is he staring at me?" Jamie asked, unsure if she should break eye-contact. Gumball looked up in her direction and spotted Mr. Robinson, who's grin then melted to a frown, followed by a scowl and walked away from the window.

"Man, sometimes I wish he would spot me!" Gumball whined, turning away. Jamie held still, unsure of exactly what she was doing, his eyes were almost hypnotizing.

"Why was he staring at me?" Jamie asked.

"He always does that, c'mon let's get ready for the party," Gumball said, dragging Jamie back inside the house.

**-Idaho's House, 7:03pm Sunset—**

Gumball and Jamie approached the house with blasting music and chatter heard from even outside the house, and they were a little late. Gumball groaned as he watched a bird fly over to the silhouette houses contrasting with the navy blue sky as the sun had just settled over the horizon and the stars began to shine.

"Okay, well it's not entirely dark yet," Jamie said, walking up to the lit porch and knocked on the door.

"I hate the trains in this region," Gumball grumbled, straightening his collar. Jamie was dressed in some leather daisy dukes and a low-collar with a large collar leather coat. She resembled a classy 1950's hot-shot who was a tomboy, and Gumball was wearing a short sleeved button up white dress shirt. Also, as Jamie requested, he wore black slacks and shiny shoes—she knew he would look the classiest.

The door was opened by Rob, who also looked a little classy, "Oh hey!" Jamie and Gumball nodded back at him before Rob turned back to the wild party inside with strobe lights and heavy rap music, "Hey guys, Jamie and Gumball are here!"

As the party inside roared even louder with "Hey's", "Yo's", and other greetings a smile crept on Gumball's lips. Jamie seemed only moderately interested in high-fiving or tipping her head in the direction of some kids. Gumball however tried his best to act cool but ended up desperately responding to the dozens of faces that hurled greetings his way, building up his own ego.

He had forgotten -considering it was the summer-that he was a new founded Popular Kid at the school, who had been infamous for snagging Jamie 'the Tough Cookie' (and rumor-wise, nailing her), scaling down Principal Brown, and openly bragging about pranks and school groups like Raid and others formed with.

"Hey guys!" He greeted, doing a Soul-Brother handshake with another cat and his friends.

"Sup," Gumball nodded in the direction of the cream colored Dog, and giving off a peace sign to that Hot-dog guy.

He had missed it greatly and almost forgot about it entirely when he got home, his status meant nothing to his family. Nicole never paid much attention to it, Richard didn't even know about it, Anais detested it—especially when it got to his head, and Darwin always seemed to ride the aftershocks of it so his popularity was boosted a little.

Jamie then tapped Gumball and leaned in his ear, "Don't get too excited but I'm willing to let you get a little loose tonight."

"What does that mean?" Gumball asked, following Jamie's finger pointing at a group of giggling girls—many younger and older than he is, "Go to town if you want, just don't get too passionate."

"Jamie, we're here for a reason, business first then party second," Gumball explained, but Jamie refused, "Hell no, party first then business second."

Gumball sighed and with a smile shrugged and agreed, he had to admire how his girlfriend could be pretty understanding of a boy. "So I have permission to make out with anyone I want?" Gumball asked, making sure he understood right, "You have permission to be flirty, or sure, Make-out, but when I call your name you better jump up and kneel before me."

"Ha, okay," Gumball said, beginning to break away from Jamie, "But I want to kiss you last."

Jamie rolled her eyes with a little grin before being pulled away by a bunch of kids, notably Tobias, Tina and some other children. Gumball was pulled in by a bunch of girls near the drink table, finally giving in into the constant attempts by girls at Elmore Jr. High that after the Penny incident he tried to ignore. Jamie smiled and greeted her friends before leading them over to a corner where it was a little quieter.

"I have something bad to tell you," Jamie announced.

"About Gumball?" Carrie questioned.

"Yes, his sister was abducted at my house—then raped," Jamie said, stunning all the immediate Raid kids. Carrie stared at Jamie almost mindlessly, not sure if she heard it right. Tina's shock turned to a noticeable anger as she quietly leaned in and whispered her loud voice towards Jamie, "Who did it?"

"We don't know," Jamie explained, which immediately struck an unsatisfactory string inside the children. "That's bullshit, how didn't you see her get abducted?" Carrie asked but Jamie shook her head, "Our families were fighting, she was at the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Fighting about what?" Tobias asked.

"Its personal," Jamie sighed, rubbing her arm before looking up at Tina's angry glare, "But you know, Tina."

The dinosaur frowned in confusion before seeing that familiar look in Jamie's eyes and realizing the connection, "…Oh, no way! Are you sure?"

"He called us, and stuff went down," Jamie explained.

"Fuck," She groaned, sitting down and causing the house to jiggle a bit. Everyone quickly went back to dancing as the Raid kids glanced over at Gumball. "Seems like Gumball is taking it okay," Banana Joe said, observing the 7th to 8th graders talk to him as he poured a cup of fruit punch.

"He was pretty depressed when I found him in the park, partially because of our personal fight," Jamie said, feeling a little uncomfortable when thinking about it. The Raid club was rather surprised that she didn't look annoyed about the girls harassing Gumball.

"Is that why you're letting him flirt around?" Tina asked.

"Sort of, I've just been a dick to him lately," Jamie said, before turning away from him and back to the club. "I think I know who raped Anais, or at least was responsible for getting someone else to do it—and Gumball seems eager to kill him," Jamie explained, silencing the club as Tobias looked over at the loud group before back at Jamie.

"You want us to help? Tobias asked, noticing everyone's uneasiness on the subject—besides Carrie who looked a little eager.

"I'll gladly help out, I know good places to bury people," Carrie said enthusiastically, much to the awkward humor of Tina.

"Well, I didn't mean it like that, I was just keeping you informed," Jamie explained, stretching her legs out from the stiffness. "Obviously we're going to help, we've only killed two people as a group though so I don't know how well this will work," Carrie explained, before having the kids 'shush' her loudly.

"We don't talk about that!" Banana Joe exclaimed.

"Okay, okay, sorry," Carrie whined.

"So, that's why you're here, eh?" Tobias asked, getting Jamie to cock her eyebrow, "What do you mean?" Tobias smirked before exchanging smiles with Banana Joe, "You need some guns, don't you?"

Jamie blankly looked at him before rolling her eyes, "Oh yeah, but we came for a party too."

"So that makes four 'out to kill', probably more too," Anton said, suddenly walking up to the group and waving to Jamie, "Hey Jamie, you know your boyfriend is flirting."

"Oh I know, but wait…..four? Its only me and Gumball, not including you guys," Jamie said.

"Yeah, but you're not the only ones here for weapons," Anton explained, he then pointed at the floor which really meant the basement, "Darwin and Rachel are here too, talking with Idaho downstairs about some automatics."

"What?!" Jamie reacted, shocked.

"What do you mean 'what'? Everyone comes to Idaho's house for guns, his family is a bunch of crazy Inner-country, 2nd amendment-right, conspiracy theorist Libertarians," Carrie exclaimed, pointing at poster in the kitchen with Charles Heston holding a rifle and another poster with the World Trade Center in flames with letters on the bottom saying "TRUTH?".

"Yeah but Darwin? Of all people…" Jamie groaned, suspecting another fight between Gumball and Darwin would ensue.

"Well they were invited and nobody had a problem with it, besides it's his sister too," Tina said, giving them the benefit of the doubt. "And Rachel is so funny, she's such a gangster its hilarious," Carrie said, teasing Tobias.

"Not better than me," Tobias pointed out.

"Yes Tobias, way better than you, she's got so much cash from her selling of weed and shit!" Carrie laughed, avoiding Tobias who attempt to smack her, "No wonder your always safe, rich Dad, Pimp sister too!"

On the other side of the room, Gumball was busy being questioned by a group of excited girls, way over populating him. He sipped his drink as some of the girls fiddled with his cat ears and squealed excitedly at the sound of Gumball purr and meow.

"I love the way you purr, Gumball," A light brown tall dog with reddish floppy ears complemented, rubber her fingers in-between his left ear—Gumball remained as reserved as possible, giving off only a little smile and keeping his hands glued to his cup.

"I like the way you rub me," Gumball compliment, igniting much laughter and giggles.

"Will Jamie kill us if we get a little close?" A younger girl asked, she seemed around 11 years old, she was a fit bumble bee with long blonde hair. Gumball popped his eyebrows at her before sipping his drink again, "No, she gave me some room tonight."

"Cool!" Another cat cheered, she was a little tomboyish wearing a white biker coat to contrast with her black complexion and fancy boyish hair, "You're so cute Gumball." Gumball checked her figure out, another thing he was able to do without getting slapped now-in-days, "Hey, another cat!" She smiled at his statement and nodded her head, giving the 'cat' nod they do to other cats when they spot them.

"You're style looks creative," Gumball complemented.

"Wow thanks! I'm Ancient Egyptian-American," She explained, showing off her jet black fur as oppose to modern Egyptian genes with have a sand-like fur. Gumball was obviously impressed and tapped his hands on his lap.

"Here, sit on the my lap."

Predictably, the dozen or so girls (and growing) shrieked in surprise, but Gumball kept his gaze at the black cat who shyly walked on the other side of the couch and turned around, "This is embarrassing!" She giggled, but Gumball didn't hesitate and pulled her down onto his lap, she shivered as he made her comfortable. Gumball guiltily enjoyed her sitting on his lap, but the popular kids did it all the time back when he wasn't one, and it made him desperate to do it whenever he had the chance.

"Holy shit, Jamie lets you do this?" She asked, making herself comfortable as she felt his arms wrap around his stomach.

"_Only_ when she lets me, yes," Gumball explained, playfully scratching his claws against her jean covered thighs.

The rest of the girls pestered him about being next and other nonsense, but Gumball's ears twitched and he felt a tingling feeling again. "Shit, my senses are going off," Gumball said, looking around her body and examining the dance floor in the background.

"Cat senses?" A duck girl asked.

"Yes, cat senses, we get it when we know somebody is near," The black cat explained, turning her head around and observing Gumball look around before his gaze fell to the hardwood floor.

'_Darwin? He's here, where is he?'_ Gumball thought, his senses going crazy towards the direction of the floor.

"Hey cutie," a teddy bear with bow said, "Forget about us?"

"Oh, uh…no, no of course not," Gumball said, patting the black cat on her thigh playfully before making an excuse, "I just have false senses."

"Cats don't have false senses," The black one on his lap pointed out.

"Well, my father is a rabbit so sometimes my genetics get messed up," Gumball explained, an explanation accepted by everyone before Gumball grabbed the cat's legs and pulled her around, putting her legs on the side of the couch with her still sitting on him. Their gazes matched before Gumball smiled and asked, "So, what's your name?"

**-Downstairs in the Basement—**

The brick covered underground basement was loaded with racks upon racks of miniature canned food and firearms. The basement was practically an underground house, and in the "living room" of the basement, Rachel and Darwin sat talking to Idaho. The basement was rather well cleaned but it still resembled some 'war' shelter.

"Grab me dat one," Idaho commanded, "No nah, the one with the scope."

Rachel reached up and grabbed the huge gun, Darwin watched carefully as she pulled out the long sniper-riffle from the "Medium-sized" rack. Idaho had guns adjusted for size of person, considering his family used miniature weapons.

"That's dun' be a M107, great for assassinations," Idaho explained. Rachel looked a little confused and softly placed the weapon on Darwin's lap, the fish grabbed it like an inexperienced person. Rachel could tell the weapon was a little above Darwin's head, and the fish didn't seem to appreciate its overly complex design.

"While this is nice, the thing is I'm just trying to kill one person," Darwin said before looking over at Rachel whose face remained neutral, but Darwin thought carefully, "Perhaps a couple more if he has friends."

"Basically he's looking for something basic, he's not an assassin," Rachel explained.

"Yeah, like walk up and _bang_," Darwin said, admittedly fascinated with the weapon.

"….Hmm, aw-wite, Rachel babe, hand him the handgun….the small black one, yeah dats it," Idaho facilitated as Rachel grabbed the firearm, trading it with the long scoped sniper-riffle. Darwin smiled as Rachel handed him the gun, "Yes, this gun looks normal."

"Dat der' be uh nine millimeter, automatic and common," Idaho said before smirking, "Legal too."

"Yeah this is sweet," Darwin said, stretching his fin's muscles to imitate a finger and pull the trigger—thankfully unloaded.

"Is that good?" Idaho asked, hopping off his little stool. Rachel smirked as Darwin seemed hypnotized by the weapon, "Yeah, it's good."

"Okay, let me get yah sum' bullets and sum' mags," Idaho said, walking out of the basement room and into another section. Rachel watched as Darwin continued to analyze the gun, she playfully tapped him and pointed in the direction he was supposed to be walking.

"Oh right," Darwin laughed, following Idaho.

"You're going to shoot your eye out with that if you're not careful," Rachel said, watching him hold it in all types of dangerous ways, "I'll be okay."

"Luckily for you, my Dad taught Tobias and I how to shoot, so I'll make sure you don't kill yourself," She said, a little harshly but Darwin paid no mind.

"Right," He replied.

"Gotta say Darwin," Idaho said with a little surprise in his voice, "I never thought someone like you would kill."

"Well when someone pushes my family, I push back," Darwin said sternly, much to the joy of Rachel who feared she might've forced him into something he didn't want.

"Oh I know, but you outta all 'dem people, was'sa happens to y'ah bein' a Pacifist?" Idaho asked, as he lead Darwin to a packaged gun with ammunition. Darwin shrugged and grabbed the small case, "My brother made me realize that being a Pacifist didn't work."

"How much?" Rachel asked.

"No need for money, it's uh pretty cheap gun," Idaho said but he thought for a second before coming up with something, "However, you could get me sum' pretty expensive paint, for free."

"Of course, Idaho," Rachel said softly as she grabbed Darwin and pulled him to the exit.

"Now we'll come back sun' time, ya' hear?" Rachel shouted, mocking Idaho as the potato smiled and waved—obviously not getting the joke.

"Don't do nothin' you'll regret," Idaho said, forcing a nice departing comment to which Darwin rolled his eyes and smiled, "Of course I wouldn't."

Rachel and Darwin popped out of the basement and was greeted to the empty stairway upwards to the quieter part of the house. The stairwell went upwards to a floor-door in the laundry room which was the farthest from the living room. The kids breached the hatch and left the room, quickly walking back to the party with their discrete case.

"We're finished," Rachel whispered, passing by the unsuspecting Tobias. He looked up at her and nodded, "I thought you had been finished a while ago," Rachel shook her head and along with Darwin filled their red cups with sweet juice.

"Okay then," Tobias yawned as he walked over to Jamie, "You can see Idaho now."

The ox shook her head and immediately looked around for Gumball, quickly spotting the spectacle Gumball had created around the couch. She grinned as she observed her man flirt and grope girls, none of whom she knew personally considering nobody in their right mind who's close to Jamie would dare flirt with Gumball. Unless it was Carrie or Tina.

"Okay girls," Jamie said, catching the crowd of girls off-guard, "Gumball is done."

The girls silently moved to the side, except for the cat still sitting on Gumball's lap who had little choice being locked inside his grip. The black cat trembled as she could feel Gumball make no attempt to remove her with his girlfriend standing eye to eye.

"Uh G-Gumball," The cat shivered, leaning back into Gumball which cause the blue cat to queasily hang on to her—without breaking any boundaries. Jamie stretched her head to the side and looked at Gumball who stared back at her with careless eyes, "Sup babe, like my catch?" Gumball shook the scared black cat to link the phrase 'catch', with the girl.

"I'm impressed, she's got a nice ass I bet," Jamie said, still with her neutral face. The couple both knew that everything was alright but they were deliberately being weird about it to scare the girls.

"You bet right," Gumball smirked, putting his hands underneath the girl's posterior, causing her to jump as he carefully lifted her up and placed her on the couch. The cat was shocked as Jamie playfully lifted Gumball off the couch and spun him around, slapping any dust off of him.

"You had fun?" Jamie asked.

"You bet, I'd love to tell you all about it," Gumball said rhetorically.

**-Down in the Basement, Stairway—**

"What kind of question is that?" Gumball asked, his voice singled out in the extraordinarily quiet stairwell. Jamie shrugged and rubbed her head, "I'm just asking."

"Well of course….I was…aroused," Gumball explained, choosing his words carefully.

"What does that mean, you were impressed or you had a hard-on?" Jamie asked, receiving a annoyed slap on the shoulder from Gumball. They approached the door at the foot of the stairs, "Yes, the second one, but you said I could do what I want and I didn't even make out."

"Alright, I'm not mad at you," Jamie explained carefully, trying to calm Gumball's nervousness.

"Okay then, I just was showing off my cool," Gumball explained, calming himself as he twisted the doorknob and opened it for Jamie to walk through first. The girl rolled her eyes at the snarky statement before walking down the hallways where Idaho was.

"There you are Idaho, we were worried about you," Jamie said as she casually sat down in the chair. The potato let out a cheesy smile before his eyes spotted Gumball. "So he really gone' get a gun?" Idaho asked in surprise, Gumball forced a little smile as he awkwardly sat down.

"Of course, it was only a matter of time," Jamie said.

"You ready to kill someone, Gumball?" Idaho asked.

Gumball nodded his head, a smile blossomed on Jamie's lips.

**-Downtown Elmore, 8:01pm, Pitch Dark—**

Darwin and Rachel snuck down the run down apartments of the downtown, through the trash cans and old fences. Darwin was incredibly worried about this and looked behind him every three seconds as Rachel confidently snuck through holes in the fences.

For Darwin to be downtown at this time at night was mindboggling to him, but to hide around in the slums were even worse. The noises of cars and light-rails passing by in the atmosphere of the city made him feel even more alien, he obviously preferred the safe suburbs.

"Don't you feel extreme Darwin?" Rachel asked, holding his gun case.

"I'm not sure if I would say extreme," Darwin cringed as Rachel walked through an alleyway and into a street. Darwin was a little relieved to be out of the damp backsides of the apartments but it didn't help that they were still in slums.

"This is the shop I go to for information," Rachel said, as she dragged Darwin along into the cheap corner store plastered with a large dirty sign in some East Asian language. Darwin entered on cue with the 'ring' sensor system, alerting the owners. Rachel snatched a plastic sealed cinnamon roll from the rack of unhealthy treats and rested her elbows on the counter.

Darwin walked up to the counter and noticed Rachel was swinging the gun-case in his direction, underneath the counter. "Get it, open it up and load it," Rachel said casually, dropping the heavy case on the floor.

"Rachel what are we going to do?" Darwin asked, a little worriedly.

"Going to help your sister, of course," Rachel smiled at him.

**-The Watterson's House—**

"Nicole, don't you think we're being a little over-reactive?" Richard asked, snapping in a bullet-magazine into his AR-15. Nicole wasn't listening, her eyes glimmered as she loaded up her newly cleaned and very familiar .45 Smith & Wesson.

"Alright, we're ready for any intruders," Nicole whispered as tossed the gun on the bed and arose from the mattress.

"It's almost 10 o' clock, where are the boys?" Nicole asked.

"They're at the party, remember?" Richard asked, setting the huge semi-automatic on the side of the wall next to his night stand. Nicole let out a chuckle at his response, "Not at no 10 o' clock they are!" Richard stretched out his pajama's collar before looking out their bedroom window at the dark sky, he could make out white clouds slowly move in.

"I'm worried about them too," Richard said, getting Nicole's attention, "They must feel so helpless about their sister, but I'm scared they'll do something crazy."

"I know what you mean," Nicole sighed, scratching an itch on her back, "But imagine how Anais must feel."

"I don't want to think about that," Richard groaned, lying his head down on the covers.

"But you have to babe, then you'll understand why I'm doing this," Nicole said, closing the door to their bedroom.

"Doing what? Setting up security systems and arming us to the teeth?" Richard said, obviously irritated as he turned away from Nicole, " Is this America or is it Iraq?" Nicole frowned at the last statement, finding it almost inconsiderate.

"Your daughter was raped and that's your response? A silly joke?" Nicole asked angrily.

"How is any of what I said a response to Anais getting raped?" Richard asked, trying to immediately cool the conversation. Nicole wasn't having any of it, "Well what other response have you given! You don't do anything and haven't done anything! Besides driving, how many times have you talked to Anais?!"

"Nicole I don't want to talk about this," Richard cringed.

"Then _shut up_ when I do what needs to be done!" Nicole shouted, opening the bedroom door and slamming it—startling Richard in her aggressiveness, "I'm going to check on Anais! Like a GOOD parent!"

Nicole rushed down the hallway and slowly placed her hand on the doorknob of the children's room. Nicole made sure she wouldn't give away too much noise as she slowly pushed the door open and slowly perked her head inside. She could make out from the glare of the nightlight that Anais was underneath the covers and shuffling around a bit, perhaps from the inclusion of the door's croaking.

'_She's safe, thank God.'_

Nicole sniffled around in the room a bit and it had a slightly unpleasant stench, smelled like unwashed fur and a little must. Her mother instincts activated as she pushed the door back in its entirety and crept into the room. Unlike the hallway, the room was covered in blackness and yellowish light shining from the nightlight near the floor on the wall.

Nicole grasped the handle and unlocked the window and pulled upwards, manually pushing the window out of the lower frame. There was still a black screen protecting the open window from any bugs, and incidentally to prevent or at least discourage Gumball and Darwin from jumping out.

"Sleep soundly," Nicole smiled as she pulled out a liter and lit an incense.

The mother quickly left, making sure not to slam the door or make any noises. Nicole crept back into the hallway, using her keys to lock the door. The woman sighed and fell back on the wall, slowly falling down to the floor as she took a massive breather.

"The boys need to be home, she's lonely."

**-Sunset Avenue, 11:01pm-**

"You're pretty good with it, Gumball," Jamie complemented as her boyfriend twirled the gun on his finger and pulled the trigger, deliberately un-loaded.

"Yeah, I love holding this thing," Gumball gasped as he took his other hand and clocked it back, then pulling the trigger. Gumball had purchased a .45—similar to his mother's—from Idaho for about 200 dollars. He told Idaho he'd pay him back (and he would) but Idaho instructed Jamie to show him how to shoot.

The kids passed by the the orange street lights and the blackened houses as time went by, less and less cars, houselights and noises were about. They both enjoyed each other's company in this darkness, with the only sounds being that of an occasional barking dog somewhere or the sounds of crickets.

"This day turned out well, didn't it?" Gumball asked, a little energetic from his success.

"Gumball, you're a little high aren't you?" Jamie asked, digging through her pockets for her pipe. Gumball was too pre-occupied with his newfound weapon to be concerned with what she was doing, which was weed.

"Of course not, but speaking of high, I heard some Zebra foreigners were in the back, shooting up," Gumball said, grinning as he did—still not noticing Jamie.

"Oh really?" Jamie asked, her response a little muffled as she held the pipe in her mouth. She opened a bag of Marijuana and put a ball of it in the pipe, then pulling out a lighter. Gumball quickly glanced over at her and at first ignored it but then did a double take to clarify what he saw, "Uh, Jamie?"

"Hmm?" Jamie heated up the pipe as it began to release a little smell. Gumball could see the faded Jamie light up as she lit her pipe with the liter.

"I thought we agreed on the no drugs thing?" Gumball asked, putting the gun in-between his belt and stomach like some gangster.

"Is weed still a drug now? It's less harmful than smoking or drinking, and is probably just as bad as drinking soda—which you do all the time," Jamie grinned, pulling the pipe away from her lips as green smoke ran from her nostrils.

"If it's okay then why is it illegal?" Gumball asked, a little sternly.

"Because people who make laws are fucking idiots that's why," Jamie said as she took another puff and blew it in Gumball's face, he cringed at its odd smell, "Just cause you think it's wrong doesn't mean it is."

"But, I don't do things I think is wrong, like say…. shooting Anais' rapist," Gumball explained, patting his chest, "I think that's a great thing!"

"Yeah but you acting vigilante is illegal and you're doing it," Jamie explained, careful not to hurt Gumball's feelings, "Just like how you cats think its culturally acceptable to eat and dominate fish, others think it's wrong, and although its illegal many still do it."

"Like who?" Gumball asked, in disbelief.

"Like….say…..you," Jamie smiled as she exhaled again and let out a cough, "Heh, Darwin anyone?"

"That's not slavery, and don't change the subject," Gumball added, not wanting to think about Darwin anyways. Eating Darwin—although disgusting—sounded like a fitting punishment for him right now.

**-The Watterson's House—**

"Good night Nicole," Richard said reluctantly.

Nicole ignored him and closed her heavy eyes, drifting off into a light rest. As Nicole adjusted in the bed for a comfortable position, something suddenly stunned her—mentally. Her eyes flung open and she flinched in reaction to an uncomfortable feeling her mind replicated—an attack on her. Richard felt the bed jiggle harshly , he turned over and looked in her direction although he was blind due to the lack of the light.

"What's wrong babe?" Richard asked.

"Nothing," Nicole groaned as she got back out of the bed and dragged her unwillingly body wrapped in a pink sleeping gown. "I'm going to give Anais some more medication, she's likely having a nightmare without the boys around."

Nicole walked to her door and twisted the doorknob, this time around she notice that the nightlight, had been turned off. She couldn't see anything besides the stars of the night sky behind. Nicole's pupils shrunk as she immediately rushed over and flicked on the light switch. The room itself flashed in a shining glare as the light blinded Nicole, but she didn't care.

"Anais?" Nicole asked, carefully poking her head down.

She's GONE!

"ANAIS?!" Nicole screamed angrily, shuffling around the covers and observing the the room. The mother hastily flipped over the toys and desks, searching desperately for Anais. Nicole couldn't believe It, unable to take her gaze off the bed. She then instinctively looked over at the window seal, the screen had been blown out!

"Oh my fucking God!" Nicole cried, running out of the room and bursting into their bedroom.

"What's wrong? Burglar?" Richard asked.

"N-No! Anais is missing!" Nicole cried, quickly rushing to their nightstand and clocking in ammunition into the gun. "I JUST put her to bed, the criminals must still be out there!"

Richard, despite completely hating guns, decided to construct the weapon he was assign to. _'It's for Anais!'_ He thought as he rolled out of bed and put all of his focus into constructing his weapon for use. His fingers put in a bullet and then closed the chamber, loading his old fashioned riffle.

"C'mon, I'm going to kill this fucker!" Nicole cried as she rushed out the room and hurried down the stairs. Nicole kicked the front door open and rushed out into the spotlight of the lamp post. Immediately that sense of losing Anais returned, as she desperately looked around in the shadows of night for anyone. Her cat senses flared and her eyes flashed from shiny reflections before spotting something suspicious.

Richard hurried up and contacted the boys, knowing they were still out and perhaps could be of some assistance. Back with the couple, Gumball was busy being lectured by Jamie on a bunch of cultural issues before feeling his vibrating phone in his pocket.

"Hold on Jamie," Gumball said, pulling out the phone and pressing the 'talk' button, "Hello?...Hello? Dad, is that you?" Jamie looked at Gumball carefully as his facial expression changed from confusion to utter horror in a matter of seconds, then determination.

"Alright Dad, I understand," Gumball said as he thought for a moment and added, "Don't tell Darwin about this….I uh, don't think he can handle it."

"O-Okay, Gumball," Richard said as he hung up the phone and quickly rushed outside into the darkness of night with Nicole. The wife was a little startled before tapping him and pointing towards an area with a bush, next to a mailbox.

"I think he's right there!" Nicole said, preparing to fire.

"Nicole, make sure you don't hit A-"

***POW***

Richard's speech was cut short by the astoundingly loud sound of Nicole's gun firing. Richard sighed in irritation as Nicole readily ignored him and pulled the trigger again, firing another bullet. It was so loud it echoed throughout the blocks of houses, the bullet made a noticeable dent on the mail box.

"Come out, bastard!" Nicole screamed, seeing the blackened figure rush out and make a run for the trees. Nicole could see this and immediately proceeded with the firing**, *BANG* * POW* *BANG*** , never once crossing her mind that she could accidentally hit Anais.

"Are we sure that's even the guy?" Richard asked.

"He came out of the back of house!" Nicole announced, unable to chase after him as he disappeared. Richard could see it was less likely they were going to catch him but to satisfy Nicole he cocked his rifle and let one shot loose in the general direction, knowing it wasn't going to hit. He was a little stunned by the recoil, a gun felt unfamiliar to him at this age.

"Dammit, he got away!" Nicole shouted, her voice broke near the end as tears formed in her eyes. Richard was a little dismayed but he hadn't given up hope, the man couldn't escape Elmore with a girl like Anais underneath his arm.

**-In the Park, 12:01am—**

"Shut up!" The masked criminal said. Anais could make out that he was tubby, and not the typical profile for a criminal either. Nonetheless she continued to struggle, not wanting to re-live what she received earlier.

The man threw Anais against the side of a large pole, she winced in pain through her muffled bounds as the fat man pulled out his own phone and dialed a number. Anais decided to watch him carefully, although still distressed, could remember how badly Gumball wanted a description of who raped her.

'_I hope he kills him!'_ Anais thought, glaring up at the fat criminal.

"Hello, Denise?" He grumbled, with a little bit of humor in his voice. Anais' ears perked up at the sound of that name, why was he talking to Denise.

"I have the Watterson girl here," He said, putting his grubby hands on Anais' head—much to her disgust—as he shuffled her ears with his fingers. Anais felt incredibly violated as he proceeded to senselessly rub her back and feel her up in inappropriate areas. Due to being tied up, she was entirely helpless and the feeling of depression started to flare back inside her as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"You have a couple days left," He said, almost like a joke as he squeezed Anais' snotty nose. She immediately tried to pulled away but he delivered a harsh slap—which was more like an open-palm slam. It knocked the sense right out of her.

"If you don't cooperate with the big boys, more and more of your daughter's boyfriend and his family is going to get it, it's been the Pink rabbit, twice!" He said before glancing around the park and letting out a hefty laugh, "And I don't know what some of the big boys will do to that cute little fish."

Anais tried her best to remain focus and try to vision what this person, dressed in black would look like without such clothes. His voice was the only give-away, he had a dark green texture but that's about it-the voice however she was sure wasn't disguised.

Gumball and Jamie were rushing their way home through the park, hearing the gun shots echo through the neighborhoods. Gumball's gun was loaded now, and he wasn't twirling it around anymore. Jamie was being overprotective, keeping an arm around Gumball like a mother.

"I think the shots were from the criminal who got Anais," Jamie whispered, signaling a nod from Gumball. Jamie looked around before she felt her body shiver, "Heh, this is exciting!"

Gumball looked around the park almost causally, expecting the criminal to be somewhere on the other side of the suburbs—but then he stopped in his path. Jamie stop as well but didn't understand why he did, "What's wrong?"

"See that? The light poll over there," Gumball said calmly, pointing to a huge black pole projecting a bright white light. Jamie nodded and could also make out someone sitting and leaning back on it and another—bigger person by far—walking around the poll and talking on the phone.

"Who is that?" Jamie whispered.

"Who cares, see that pink person sitting on the poll, whoever they are is tied up," Gumball said, the light reflecting on his eyes as senses analyzed the scene from afar. It took Jamie a while but she eventually made out a pink person and a large man walking around her and continuously touching and patting her on the head.

"You think it's Anais?" Jamie asked.

"Who else dresses like such an obvious criminal with a tied up little pink rabbit at twelve o' clock, midnight?" Gumball asked, squeezing the grip on his firearm harshly.

"Listen here Denise, once your friends are through it's YOUR kids next, I'd just get to work with the big man," The criminal explained, seemingly threatening Denise on the phone. Anais had no doubt by the way his comments replied that he was dealing with a scared, possibly drunk Denise.

"He didn't put anyone up to anything, we're after the money is all, fuck you both as far as we're concerned….no not the bank either, say friends of_ Pop _who asked us not to do this," He said, lighting up a cigarette before pleasing himself with another round of feeling up Anais. She struggled but it seemed futile, he was enjoying his clean get away it seemed.

"That bitch can shoot well thought, almost hi-"

"Hello!" Gumball greeted, walking up to the obese criminal with his gun drawn.

"Yo!" Jamie greeted, following with an incredibly huge pocket knife.

The criminal nearly had a heart attack at the sight of two Middle schoolers approach him with such weapons and yet innocent faces and happy greetings. He could hear Denise reply to his cut-off comment but he didn't say anything back, frozen by their sudden appearance. Anais looked noticeably overjoyed with the introduction of them, but also a little suspicious of their weapons.

"Oh, you can give the phone to my girl, Jamie," Gumball smiled, gesturing towards the ox with his free hand, "Don't hang up either."

The obese man noticeably began to shiver in fear as he slowly handed over the cell phone to the entirely calm Jamie, who swiped it with her hand and put it up to her head, "Hello? Mom? Oh…..so this is who he was talking too."

"Talking to Jamie's mother? Dude, she's occupied," Gumball joked, looking down at his captive sister. He then smiled back at the criminal and pointed towards Anais, "Untie her please." He quickly bent down and did what he was told, pulling the rope off and immediately Anais scurried away from him. The look on his face was priceless to Gumball.

"Anais, is this the guy who hurt you?" Gumball asked.

"…"

"It's alright, he's done as far as we're concerned, so is it?" Gumball asked again.

"….No…or, I don't know….but he kidnapped me, and hit me," She whispered, shivering as she hugged her legs and covered her face in embarrassment. Gumball blinked before looking over at the criminal, a look of pity in the cat's eyes.

"So, what's up?" Jamie asked, hanging up the phone.

"This bastard hurt Anais," Gumball said.

"….Wait, you're her brother right?" He asked, Gumball nodded but then reached over and snapped the gun back, putting it in the firing position. The criminal's eyes lit up through his mask as he looked between the girl and boy.

"Wait a minute, I was just hired I didn't do anything," He explained, not changing the look on his face.

"Go over to the river," Gumball said, obviously ignoring the comment. The man suddenly paled upon hearing that, he then felt the need to pled with the boy. "Kid with the gun, uh….c'mon, I didn't do anything!"

"You took my sister from her room," Gumball explained.

"You smack talked my Mom, you're fucked," Jamie laughed, elbowing the stern Gumball in the side, "Lets stab him first, then shoot him." The criminal looked petrified upon hearing that statement, being forced to step his shoes into the dirty and wet river. Gumball and Jamie stood on the side, contemplating on which way to kill him.

"Anais, get over here," Gumball demanded, before turning to Jamie, "He's not like a final boss or anything, he's some asshole."

"So? Asshole is an asshole," Jamie explained, deliberately stepping into the river with her long knife.

"Please kids! I'm not the bad guy!" He cried, as Jamie stepped closer. He attempted to step back but Gumball told him to stay still or else he'd shoot. Anais watched carefully as her brother recognizably insulted the criminal but unrecognizably held a gun to him.

"Anais, what do you suggest?" Gumball asked, "Maybe we should keep him alive so he can rot in jail."

"…..Mmm, no," Anais whispered, "I….don't condone v-violence….but k-kill him please."

"You heard the girl!" Jamie laughed. The criminal attempted to run away but Jamie grabbed his hand and threw him face first into the river. Gumball smiled at the spectacle as he pleaded for his life. Jamie tossed the knife she always brought everywhere before pointing it downwards.

"Three stabs in the back, then a shot to the head, honey?" Jamie asked.

"Yep," Gumball smiled, "Do it _sexy-like_ too! After I shoot him I'll have my first live target!"

"Gumball…" Anais whispered.

"WAIT, NO PLEASE!" The criminal cried, spitting the dirty water out his mouth but it was a futile, Jamie slammed her weapon down.

**-The Watterson House 12:34am—**

Darwin approached the house alone, with his case in fin. Nicole had been staring out the window for anymore intruders and upon seeing the fish she rushed down the stairs and met him on the sidewalk.

"Darwin!" She cried, giving him a large huge.

"Hey Ms. Mom," Darwin said a little enthusiastically, but the mother was too excited to see any of her children. She had forgotten she had even had kids, like they all died, the minute Anais went missing and the boys had yet to return.

"Darwin, its 12:34 in the morning! What took so damn long?" She asked, not really angrily but more on desperately. She needed answers.

"The party was interesting, is all," Darwin shrugged before making his way out of Nicole's grip and towards the house. "Where's Gumball?" She asked.

"How should I know? He's safe, if he doesn't come home soon he's at someone else's house, don't worry about him," Darwin said, more concerned about a good sleep than a missing brother. His new weapon was like the best toy in the universe and the day was going great. Rachel got some good information for him and he felt like he was miles ahead of Gumball.

"Darwin, do you know what happened to Anais?" Nicole asked, forcing Darwin to stop in the middle of the lawn. The crickets filled the air once more as he pondered on the question.

"Was she kidnapped, again?" Darwin asked.

Nicole nodded her head, depressingly.

"Don't worry, I think I might know where she'd be," Darwin exclaimed before hearing a noise. Nicole could hear it took. The two stopped their conversation and listened; someone was screaming loudly and it was followed by a gunshot. Recognizably a gunshot too.

"Hmmm, strange….tonight, everything feels unreal," Darwin commented before walking towards the house. "Mom, did any police come by today?" Darwin asked, remembering the fury of gunfire he heard echoing on his way here.

"Nope, none…..oddly enough."

Stay for Chapter 4, sketches and pictures soon on DA. Links will be uploaded.


End file.
